Bhubaneswar, Feb 15: Odisha government on Thursday declared special allowances for the crew of 108 Ambulance services.
With a bid to encourage the selfless emergency services of the ambulance drivers and helpers, the Odisha Health & Family Welfare Department has declared an additional allowance of Rs 5000 per month for the drivers & EMTs and Rs 3000 per month for the helpers.
In a press release issued from the health department read, the Emergency Medical Ambulance Service has been a lifeline for the people of Odisha since March 2013. Presently the 108 Ambulance Service is operational with a fleet of 1366 Ambulances including 411 ALS Ambulances and 6 Boat Ambulances. The 108 Ambulance fleet provides emergency care and transportation to about 1.3 lakh patients every month.
The 108 Ambulance crew (Driver, Emergency Medical Technician& Helper) work very hard in adverse conditions involving difficult working hours. The extraordinary services rendered by them during natural calamities, accidents and the Covid pandemic are a testament to their dedication, and this has also been acknowledged by the government from time to time. Presently the Driver, Helper and EMT of the 108Ambulances are paid basic salary as per the Minimum Wages Act. The Driver and EMT are classified as skilled workers and the helper as unskilled worker for the purpose of minimum wages.
Recently, the Ambulance crew had submitted representations to the Chairman 5T and Nabin Odisha Shri. V. K. Pandian during his district visits, for increase in remuneration, taking into account their difficult working hours and emergency nature of work.
In order to acknowledge the emergency service done by the 108 Ambulance crew on 24X7 basis and especially during the pandemic/disaster situations; and in order to motivate the staff to continue to hard work in challenging circumstances.
Taking into account the representations made by the crew members, the Chief Minister has approved provision of a Special Allowance out of State fund for Ambulance staff at the rate of Rs.5,000/- per month to Driver and EMTs and Rs.3,000/- per month to helpers from February,2024. This will be in addition to their existing basic salary (as per applicable minimum wage rate, the release added.
