Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday extended Rs 50 lakh insurance coverage scheme meant for healthcare workers across India who die in the line of Covid19 that had expired last month but had been extended till April 24 as an interim arrangement.
The scheme under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, announced last year as part of Covid19 relief package, had come to an end on March 24 and the government had said that it was meant to provide a safety net to about 22 lakh healthcare workers.
The latest extension, after an agreement with New India Assurance, is for next one year and so far, 287 claims have been settled under the scheme which includes claims from the families of 168 doctors who died after contracting Covid19 while treating patients.
A letter by the Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan sent to states on March 24 informing them that the scheme was expiring the same day and claims received for those deceased till date for a month will be considered for compensation claims had appeared on social media two days back and had triggered massive outrage.
The Indian Medical Association, in a letter to the Health Secretary had appealed that the scheme be extended for at least 6 months in view of a mammoth second wave of the pandemic.