Vedanta to pay salary till retirement age to families of employees dying of COVID

It announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased business partners and spending of around Rs 12.6 crore to procure vaccines in bulk for the Vedanta family and all its business partners. 

Also, medical insurance cover has also been enhanced to 1.5 times the existing eligibility while the COVID Kawach Insurance will be provided to business partners, the company said in a statement. 

''Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares COVID relief initiatives, the company announces long-term HR benefits, on its commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of its people to include enhanced COVID insurance for its employees, their families, and business partners,'' it said. 

Vedanta will provide COVID Kawach Insurance for their business partners that include term life and hospitalisation and an ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakhs to be paid to the family members of the deceased business partner employee. 

''Considering the fatalities due to COVID-19 and the recent black fungus epidemic the company is providing benefits for family members of the deceased employees in the form of continued payments of last drawn fixed salary till the notional date of retirement,'' it said. 

''In continuation, Mediclaim Insurance coverage will be extended till the notional date of retirement and education assistance for two children till graduation.'' The firm is also procuring vaccines in bulk to inoculate employees and business partners and their families. 

Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said, ''At Vedanta, our employees and our extended family of business partners have always been our greatest resource and their safety and wellbeing is our foremost priority.'' ''Keeping the repercussions of the second wave in mind we are bolstering our efforts towards ensuring optimum protection for our people,'' he said. 

Vedanta is also extending all support that is required and a corporate floater cover is introduced for any employee that exceeds their eligibility. This also includes enhanced medical insurance to cover all expenses including reimbursement for home treatment. 

The company also provides a best-in-class life insurance policy equivalent to 5 times of annual fixed payments. 

In response to the devastating second wave of COVID infections, Vedanta is producing and supplying medical-grade oxygen, procuring oxygen cylinders, and setting up field hospitals, beds, portable ventilators, and treatment isolation units.