The government’s insurance scheme announced last year for health workers on the COVID-19 frontline will now also cover anganwadi workers and helpers, a senior official of the Ministry of Women and Child Development said on Tuesday.
The scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package provides a cover of ₹50 lakh in case of death due to COVID-19 or accidental death on account of COVID-19 related duty. It came into effect from March 30, 2020, for a period of three months. It has since been extended thrice and is effective at least until October 24, 2021.
“All anganwadi workers and helpers engaged in COVID-19 awareness drive, vaccination drive, door-to-door delivery of take-home ration, providing support services to those in home quarantine, and those infected with COVID-19, ensuring institutional delivery, and any other COVID-19 related activities will be eligible for the scheme,” the above quoted official said on the condition of anonymity.
There are 13.29 lakh anganwadi workers and 11.79 lakh anganwadi helpers in the country.
