Here’s how states are tackling Covid-19 crisis with empathy and welfare schemes

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State governments are using every resource at their disposal to tackle the Covid-19 crisis. The struggle to save lives and provide better healthcare infrastructure to its people is the paramount task, they are occupied with. In these testing times, many state governments have come up with new schemes or modified existing schemes to minimise the economic burden on people in these trying times.

Here are some examples:

Delhi

The Delhi government announced to extend financial help to families who have lost their earning members to the coronavirus. They will also bear the cost of education and the upbringing of children orphaned by the pandemic. The government had earlier announced financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers and free ration for two months to nearly 72 lakh cardholders.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government also recently issued a fresh government resolution, extending the scheme providing  Rs 50 lakh to the kin of the government employees, including police personnel, who died due to Covid-19, while performing Covid-related duties.

They have also extended the insurance cover/ex-gratia assistance of Rs 50 lakh given to its employees in case of death during the course of Covid-related duties for the period of January 1 to June 30, 2121.

Kerala

The state of Kerala is known for its efficient Covid-19 management, since the first outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. The Kerala government has set another example by its effective vaccination drive and zero vaccine wastage. At a time when the country is facing a shortage of vaccines, a judicious approach to vaccination is an excellent example of Kerala’s effective administration. The state has also returned 1 lakh unused vials of Remdesivir to the Centre, as the rest of the states struggle with an acute shortage of the drug.

J&K

The J&K administration announced incentives for frontline health workers dealing with Covid-19 patients and decided to grant an extension to retiring doctors up to December. The incentive will be Rs 10,000 a month for resident doctors, post-graduates, and medical officers, Rs 7,000 for nursing and paramedical staff, and Rs 5,000 for drivers, sweepers, and attendants. They have also promised a lifelong pension for the elderly who have lost the only earning member in the family and scholarships for children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19.