Include non medics into health insurance: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged the Prime Minister to include policemen, local bodies and officer-employees of district administration in insurance scheme in PM's Poor Welfare Package, on the lines of health workers.

Baghel said, "They are working day and night to make COVID-19 prevention and lockdown successful ₹50 lakh insurance for healthcare workers will be a welcome step."

Bhupesh Baghel congratulated the Prime Minister for implementing the Epidemic Diseases Ordinance (Amendment) Act, 2020.

He said in Chhattisgarh state, health service personnel, policemen and officers and employees of other departments are performing their duties by establishing complete coordination.

Although no incident of any attack on healthcare personnel has occurred in Chhattisgarh, the above ordinance provides a strong protection for warriors fighting corona infection.

Drawing the prime minister's attention towards the contribution of thousands of employees and officers who are working day and night to make the lockdown successful, the chief minister said many employees and officers have also been infected with COVID-19 while performing their duties.

"It is a matter of concern that these state employee-officers are not included in the insurance scheme implemented by the Government of India for healthcare workers," wrote Baghel.

He said that the definition of 'health service worker' under the above ordinance of Section-1A (b) (ii) includes such persons who are authorized to take necessary steps to prevent the epidemic.

"That is, policemen, officers and employees of local bodies and district administration will also be definitely included in the periphery of this definition, by whom tireless efforts are being made for prevention and control of corona infection. Therefore, benefits should be extended to these people considering them to be health workers." Baghel added.