INTUC national vice-president Dr Rama Chandra Khuntia has hailed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's decision to provide insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh, full pension and martyr's respect (in case of death) to doctors, nurses and health workers engaged in the battle against the COVID-19.
Khuntia showered praises on Patnaik while chairing a meeting on Covid-19 the of International Confederation of Construction and Forest Workers' Unions of South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka through videoconferencing here on Wednesday.
Khuntia urged both the State Government to provide life insurance cover to all municipality employees, sanitation workers, electrical employees and police personnel engaged in the corona fight. He too wanted that these employees paid 25 per cent extra salary for as they are being engaged for extra hours.
Pointing out that lockdown is no permanent solution to the coronavirus, Dr Khuntia demanded that all those who would return home from outside the State should be tested for the virus. He demanded that employers ensure social distancing at work places and provide masks, gloves, shoes and dresses to workers when they are re-engaged post lockdown.
Informing that there are more than 4.5 migrant workers, 3.5 construction workers, more than 14 core MGNREGS labourers and innumerable of unorganized sector workers like drivers, rickshaw pullers, farm labourers in the country, Dr Khuntia urged the Union Government to provide a special economic package to them soon.
He said while 29 lakh workers have been registered with the Construction Workers Welfare Board, seven lakh of them are not getting any benefit. They should be provided support soon, he demanded.