Doctors, nurses, paramedics and sanitary workers involved in treating COVID-19 patients in isolation at government hospitals in Tamil Nadu will get a special payout of a month's salary to honour them, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Lauding their work while legislators stood up and applauded after his appeal, the chief minister said doctors, nurses, paramedics and cleanliness workers are working with a sense of dedication, even risking their lives.
"We are duty bound to appreciate them," he said, adding they would get a special payout of one month salary.
Days ago, Palaniswami had rechristened Tamil Nadu's sanitary workers as 'cleanliness workers.'
In a statement in the House, the chief minister said air ambulance service would be started at a cost of Rs 10 crore to transport critical patients to hospitals.
To further develop four state-run hospitals, including the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine at Tambaram Sanatorium in Chennai and upgrade King's Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research's lab to Bio safety Level-III, a total amount of Rs 110 crore will be spent in the current fiscal, he said.
Palaniswami said a robotic surgery centre will be set up at a cost of Rs 34.60 crore at the state run multispeciality hospital in Chennai at the government estate.
The chief minister also announced Rs 1,000 to all ration card holders, free rice, sugar, and other essential commodities, in view of the lockdown in the state.
'Rs 1000 to all ration card holders, free rice, sugar, and other essential commodities. To avoid long queues, commodities will be issued on a token basis,' Palaniswami said as posted on the official twitter handle of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Tamil Nadu Assembly members clapped for a minute expressing gratitude towards the health department, police and all other departments working amid coronavirus pandemic.
Palaniswami on Monday said that restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure will be imposed in the state till March 31 in the wake of surging cases of COVID-19 in the country.
The order will come into effect from March 24 at 6 pm.
-- with inputs from ANI
