Govt announces Rs 50 lakh compensation for port employees in case of death due to COVID-19

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday announced a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for dependent members of port employees in case of loss of life due to COVID-19 while discharging duties. The compensation has been announced for any death due to COVID-19 till 30 September, 2019 and the situation will be reviewed after that. Declaring the compensation for the port employees/workers in case of loss of life due to COVID, the Ministry of Shipping in a statement said: “All port employees including contractual labourers employed directly by the port and other contractual employees are covered” under it. [caption id=“attachment_6221211” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] The statement said the ministry has decided that all the major ports may grant compensation /ex-gratia in the event of loss of life due to COVID-19 to the dependent members/legal heirs of the port employees. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak “Port Chairman is the competent authority for the settling claims/ disbursement of the compensation/ex-gratia and verifying authority for the cause of death from COVID-19,” the statement said. This compensation is applicable only for the pandemic and will be in force up to 30 September, 2020, subject to review thereafter. India has 12 major ports – Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (earlier Ennore), V O Chidambaranar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia).