India Post employees to get Rs 10 lakh as compensation for death due to COVID-19 on duty

New Delhi, Apr 19: India Post has said postal employees and Gramin dak sevaks and postal staff in rural areas would be able to claim Rs 10,00,000 as compensation in case of death while following their duties due to COVID-19.

Taking to Twitter, Union Minister for IT and communications Ravi Shankar Prasad announced the department's decision.

"Security cover of Rs 10 Lakh has been extended to all employees of @IndiaPostOffice and Grameen Dak Sewak (GDS)- the frontline #CoronaWarriors in country's fight against #COVID19, if they succumb to death due to Corona Virus," the tweet read.

It can be seen that the postal services fall under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and have been functional ever since the lockdown began on March 25. In addition to delivering mail, postal employees are also distributing ration and delivering medicines to the needy people.

Earlier, the Delhi government had announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore for frontline health workers in case of death due to the novel coronavirus while discharging their official duties.

Later, the Maharashtra government also announced a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for kin of police officers in case they die while discharging their duty.