₹50 lakh ex-gratia to family of police personnel who may die from COVID019: Maharashtra Government

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday announced that the state government will pay ‘ex-gratia’ assistance of ₹50 lakh to the families of the police personnel if they were to die due to the COVID-19 while discharging their duty. 

Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio in the Maharashtra government, made this announcement after a meeting. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and state health minister Rajesh Tope were also present in the meeting along with other senior officials. 

Divisional commissioners and district collectors have been given the power to enlist services of home guards during the current situation. 

The Maharashtra government has decided that along with police personnel, public health, medical education and other departments who are fighting the “war” against coronavirus will be paid their remaining salary on priority. 

Earlier, the Maharashtra government had announced salary cut of 60 per cent for all elected representatives including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while the salaries of state government employees belonging to Grade A and B will have a 50 per cent cut and Grade C employees will get their salaries with 25 per cent deduction. 

However, after getting a lot of heat from the opposition, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar issued a clarification that the salaries of the state government employees will be given in instalment in the wake of an economic crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Earlier, in his interaction with the Chief Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also stated that the state government should ensure the safety of the health workers along with the migrant workers and labourers. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation amid the 21-days nationwide lockdown, spoke about challenging coronavirus and “introduce it to the power of light” by turning off all lights at home and hold candles in hand, standing on balconies to mark the fight against the coronavirus. 

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