Solatium for COVID frontline workers halved to Rs 25 lakh?

A new order issued by the Tamil Nadu government has created confusion over the solatium amount announced for the families of COVID-19 frontline workers who died because of the pandemic as it has been reduced to half of what was originally announced.

According to the new GO, the State government has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh each for families of 28 government employees and COVID-19 frontline workers who died in the line of duty. However, the new GO contradicts the announcement made by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who on April 22, had said that the solatium for families of COVID-19 frontline workers would be increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Following the announcement, the government had also started collecting details of employees and workers who succumbed.

The Director of Social Welfare Protection Scheme, on July 28, had also written to Health Department officials to prepare the first list and it had 33 people.

Now, the government has reduced the solatium amount to half and the number of beneficiaries has also come down to 28 from 33. The GO has caused a great deal of confusion among government employees who were completely unaware about the reduced amount and the decrease in number of beneficiaries.

Sources in the Secretariat said that the list may not be the final one as another one might be prepared and the remaining amount might be disbursed later. Revenue Secretary Atulya Misra, who issued the GO, refused to comment over the solatium amount being reduced.