Government insurance scheme with Rs. 50 lakh cover for COVID-19 healthcare staffers restored

The Centre has recently renewed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) insurance scheme for health workers battling COVID-19 to provide a safety net to the front-line healthcare workers engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients across India. The insurance scheme which aims to provide cover of Rs. 50 lakh to next of kin of healthcare workers who died in the line of COVID-19 duty was bought from New India Assurance Company.

The insurance scheme was implemented from March 30, 2020, to provide an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh to the health workers fighting COVID-19 lapsed on March 24, 2021. Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in a recent circular, said the insurance scheme has been extended for a period of one year.

The government said that it was in the process of renewing the same as it had elapsed.