Gandhinagar, July 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) will distribute Rs 28.75 crore in ex-gratia assistance to the families of 115 employees who died after contracting COVID-19 while on duty during the pandemic, extending to corporation staff a benefit that had initially applied to government employees recognised as "COVID Warriors".
The cheque distribution ceremony is scheduled to be held on July 27 at Narmada Hall, Swarnim Sankul-1 in Gandhinagar. Each eligible family will receive Rs 25 lakh, taking the total financial assistance to Rs 28.75 crore.
The decision follows the recognition of 115 GSRTC employees as COVID Warriors after the state government resolved uncertainty over whether employees of the state-run transport corporation would qualify for the same ex-gratia assistance available to government employees and officers who died while performing COVID-19 duties.
Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Harsh Sanghavi said GSRTC played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic by transporting stranded migrant workers and labourers to their native places.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–21, GSRTC played a crucial role in transporting migrant workers and labourers stranded in Gujarat to their native places. The corporation operated 22,953 trips across three states, helping 6,99,357 passengers reach their destinations safely during the nationwide crisis," Sanghavi said.
According to the government, several GSRTC officers and employees contracted COVID-19 while performing these duties, and 115 employees died.
The deceased included 39 drivers, 31 conductors, 29 administrative staff members and 16 mechanics.
Sanghavi said a committee constituted by GSRTC carried out a detailed verification to identify employees who were on duty when they contracted the infection.
"Following a detailed verification by a committee constituted by the corporation to identify employees who were on duty at the time of contracting the infection, GSRTC decided to provide Rs 25 lakh in financial assistance to the legal heirs of each eligible employee. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the government has decided to provide financial assistance to the families of deceased GSRTC employees. This assistance is a tribute to the dedication and sacrifice of the corporation's COVID warriors," he said.
The government said that while a state resolution had already provided ex-gratia assistance to the families of government employees and officers who died while performing COVID-19 duties, GSRTC's status as a corporation had left doubts over the eligibility of its employees' families.
According to the government, Sanghavi intervened to address the issue and approved the recognition of the 115 deceased GSRTC employees, including drivers and conductors, as COVID Warriors, making their families eligible for the Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia assistance.
GSRTC operates more than 8,000 buses, covering over 34 lakh kilometres and carrying more than 27 lakh passengers across Gujarat.
The corporation said its drivers, conductors and mechanics continued to maintain transport services during the pandemic despite the risks posed by COVID-19.
Source: IANS
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