Govt to ensure pension to kin of Covid victims without delay

NEW DELHI: With Covid-19 claiming the lives of several government employees, many of them sole bread-winners of their families, the department of pension and pensioners welfare has asked all central ministries and departments to ensure that the family pension for their next of kin is started within a month of receipt of such claim. All departments have specifically been asked to keep a record of government employees who die “in service” on account of Covid and share updates on family pension claims with the ministry of personnel on a monthly basis.
Sources indicated that an effort is underway to compile a central database on government staff from various Union departments and personnel who have succumbed to Covid infections. An official told TOI that deaths of seven employees working out of North Blockwere reported due to Covid.