Bhubaneswar: Doctors, nurses and paramedics are to be paid four months’ salary in advance in recognition of their efforts to beat back the coronavirus pandemic.
Making that announcement, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, “I salute the indefatigable spirit of doctors, nurses and paramedics. All the people of Odisha are with you and your family and greatly admire your efforts.”
The advance pay, for months May, June, and July, will be given in April.
The chief minister appealed to people to donate generously to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to help the government fight the Covid-19 virus. He himself donated three month’s salary to the CMRF.
Responding to Naveen Patnaik’s appeal, the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) contributed Rs 500 crore to the fund.
This contribution comes a day after Odisha’s top industrialist Tara Patnaik contributed Rs 1 crore. Several other eminent persons, including senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra contributed their pensions.
“I appreciate chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s appeal calling for contributions to the CMRF. I have donated one month’s pension and request all others to contribute in this hour of crisis,” Mohapatra said.
