Cabinet approves general guidelines for special aid scheme for employees

The Cabinet has approved the general guidelines for implementing a special aid scheme for those employees who suffer accidents, fatal or otherwise, while on duty.

All accident casualties, including unnatural death, will come under the ambit of the scheme, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said.

The new guidelines bring more clarity to the existing rules for allowing aid to employees who suffer accidents while on duty. Accordingly, accident deaths while on duty and deaths while attempting to save the life and property of others as part of duty will also be treated as unnatural deaths while on duty. A mention in the FIR or attestation by revenue/police authorities will suffice.

Employees deployed for the treatment/care of those afflicted by infectious diseases during an epidemic or pandemic and die due to the same disease will also be treated as a case of unnatural death. Death of an employee while on the way to the office or while going back from office will also be treated as death while on duty.

Electrocution or sustaining an electric shock while on duty, accidents during construction work, deaths of government servants during rescue work, while attempting to apprehend criminals or due to wild animal attack will also fall under accident deaths while on duty.

Death while engaged in external work which are part of office work and accident deaths during a work-related trip will also be treated as unnatural death.

The Collector or Head of the department/institution should attest that the death occurred while on duty. Any accidents during work will also come within the ambit of the aid scheme.

The ex gratia allowed to employees who die/suffer accidents while on duty but who are not included in the Jeevan Raksha scheme of the State Insurance department has been hiked from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.

Employees who sustain permanent disability in accidents while on duty will get an aid of up to ₹5 lakh. Disability certified as more than 60% will b eligible for an aid of ₹4 lakh and disability from 40-50% will receive as assistance of ₹2.5 lakh.