In addition to the measures announced under PM CARES for Children- Empowerment of Covid affected children, Government of India has announced further measures to help families who have lost the earning member due to Covid. They will provide pension to families of those who died due to Covid and an enhanced & liberalised insurance compensation.

PM said that his Government stands in solidarity with their families. He also said that through these schemes, efforts are being made to mitigate financial difficulties that may be faced by them.

• Family Pension under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• To help family live a life of dignity and maintain a good standard of living, benefit of ESIC pension scheme for employment related death cases is being extended to even those who have died due to Covid. Dependent family members of such persons will be entitled to the benefit of pension equivalent to 90% of average daily wage drawn by the worker as per the existing norms. This benefit will be available retrospectively with effect from 24.03.2020 and for all such cases till 24.03.2022.

• Employees Provident Fund Organization- Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI)

The insurance benefits under the EDLI scheme have been enhanced and liberalized. Apart from all other beneficiaries, this will in particular help the families of employees who have lost their lives due to COVID.

• Amount of maximum insurance benefit has been increased from ₹ 6 lakh to ₹ 7 lakh
• The provision of minimum insurance benefit of ₹ 2.5 lakh has been restored and will apply retrospectively from 15^th February 2020 for the next three years
• To benefit families of contractual/ casual workers, the condition of continuous employment in only one establishment has been liberalized, with benefit being made available to families of even those employees who may have changed jobs in the last 12 months preceding his death.

Detailed guidelines of these schemes are being issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

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DS /AKJ