SHILLONG, May 27: The Meghalaya government will pay ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for each COVID-related death with effect from April 1 this year, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong announced on Thursday.
He said the government wanted to cover all COVID-related deaths but the substantial expenditure of Rs 400 crore incurred on the management of the pandemic last year has proved to be an obstacle.
“Taking into consideration that the impact of COVID has been huge this year, affecting people mentally, we have decided to extend the ex gratia as a token gesture,” Tynsong said.
Since April 1, the state has recorded 374 COVID fatalities.
Tynsong said the government will soon issue a notification authorizing the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and the District Medical and Health Officers to identify the deceased persons.
Following identification, the DCs will send proposals to the government for sanction. Accordingly, cheques will be handed over to the families of the deceased through the DCs.
Meanwhile, Tynsong said the government has already decided to create two prefab corona health centres taking into consideration the urgency and the challenges being faced by the state.
Health Minister, AL Hek had on Wednesday said the two prefab hospitals were not needed since they have to be constructed in open spaces and would ultimately have to be demolished.
He had also stated that the resources could be spent better by upgrading the existing healthcare facilities and setting up more corona care centres.
The Central government, through the DoNER Ministry, has sanctioned Rs 6.7 crore for creating the two facilities. They will come up in Shillong and Tura and will have 100 beds each.
On behalf of the government, Tynsong thanked the media personnel for their services, stating that they are treated as frontline workers and the government is proud of them.
