121 have succumbed to contagion in second wave

Bengaluru: As many as 1,700 State Government employees have succumbed to Coronavirus since March 2020. Out of this, 121 employees have died in the current second wave of COVID-19. Most of the deceased employees belonged to Education, Health and Home Departments. Around 60 percent of employees have received the first dose of vaccine.

An officer, on condition of anonymity, said there are 72 Departments with a workforce of 5.3 lakh people, as against the sanctioned posts of 7.7 lakh. This also includes 1.5 lakh workers on contract basis. The State Government has announced a compensation of Rs. 30 lakh each for family of those died of Corona, plus Government job for the kin on compassionate grounds.

However, the families of deceased employees have urged the Government to hike the compensation to Rs. One crore as Rs. 30 lakh compensation was very less. Most of the Covid victims were working in Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and M.S. Building. Due to non-collection of taxes due to the pandemic, the Government was struggling to manage funds. 

This has delayed in the distribution of relief to the Corona victims, the officer noted.