|

With disputes over the number of deaths of primary teachers due to Covid during panchayat polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday announced that all the government employees who succumbed to the deadly infection during polls would be given compensation and rules would be amended for that.
“The state government has decided to provide compensation and jobs to the dependents of the deceased during Panchayat election duty or who got infected with the virus while on duty, leading to their demise later,” the CM said in a statement issued on Thursday.
On Thursday, Yogi Adityanath chaired a high level review meeting and gave instructions to chief secretary and ACS, Panchayati Raj, to coordinate with the State Election Commission and request it to amend the said guidelines, in a manner as deemed fit.
On Wednesday, the UP government had claimed that only three teachers had died of Covid during panchayat polls against the claim of 1,621 deaths by the primary teachers’ association, which was supported by the opposition leaders.
The government made a U-turn on Thursday and blamed the old guidelines of the State Election Commission for the confusion. “Currently, the guidelines of the Election Commission do not cover the impact caused by COVID-19 (being the unforeseeable future, retrospectively) within their ambit. Therefore, to address the current situation, the guidelines need to be amended keeping a sympathetic approach,” the CM said and added that the state government is more than willing to provide compensation or employment to the family of the deceased, as the case may be.
“According to the guidelines of State Election Commission, the government will give compensation and job to one family member of every teacher, Shikshamitra, rozgar sewak, police personnel and every employee who died during election duty or who got infected with COVID-19 during that period leading to their demise later,” the CM said. He added that in view of the present circumstances, the report should be obtained from the Election Commission.
The amendments proposed should include effective rehabilitation (including employment opportunities) and adequate compensation being provided to the members of the family of the deceased (COVID-19 patient) within a specific time frame. Besides, in order to provide proper support to the family of the deceased employees, the SEC should be consulted and requested to give the necessary information,” he said.
Primary Education Minister Satish Dwivedi as well as the SEC had categorically said that only three teachers had died during the Panchayat polls and declared that only they were entitled to get compensation as per the rules.
The UP Teachers Association had said that 1,621 teachers and workers of the Basic Education Department had died of COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh since the first week of April and claimed 90 per cent of them were on panchayat poll duty. Of these 1,621 deaths, more than 90 per cent of the teachers were on Panchayat Election duty, claimed Teachers’ leaders. Dr RP Mishra, Secretary, Madhyamik Shikshak sangh also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore besides a government job to one of the family members of the deceased.