Railways lost 2,903 employees due to coronavirus: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The Railways has lost 2,903 employees due to COVID-19, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Friday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, he said settlement of dues has been made with families of deceased Railway employees in 2,782 cases.

"Indian Railways has a policy for giving appointment on compassionate ground to dependents of Railway servants who lose their lives in the course of duty or die in harness or are medically incapacitated.

"Dependents of family members of Railway employees who lost their life to COVID-19 are covered under the scheme of compassionate ground appointment," Vaishnaw said.

Out of a total of 2,903 cases of deaths due to COVID-19, compassionate appointments have been provided in 1,732 cases, he said, adding 8,63,868 Railway employees have been given the first dose of vaccine and 2,34,184 the second dose.

"A sufficient number of vaccination centres have been established and staff has been deployed for vaccination drive in Railways.

"Every effort is being made to vaccinate all Railway employees at the earliest subject to availability of vaccine doses and willingness of the employees to get vaccinated," Vaishnaw said.