PANAJI
The Goa government has decided to expand its definition of frontline workers in order to enable people whose professions put them at risk of contracting the virus to be vaccinated on priority.
In a decision taken at a meeting of the state cabinet held on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers resolved to recognize state and central government employees, journalists, employees of banking institutions those working in homes for children, the disabled, mentally challenged, destitute, senior citizen and those working with telecommunication and internet services etc as frontline Covid-19 workers.
“The people working in the above sectors are contributing to the fight against Covid-19 on a daily basis by being at the forefront and are thus at risk of contracting the disease in furtherance of their duties,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.
On Monday night the Chief Minister had hinted at the possibility of expanding the definition that has for long been demanded by various employee unions.
The frontline workers will need to be certified by their respective Heads of Departments or any officer authorized to certify by them in the case of state and central government employees, employees of autonomous, semi-government, PSUs of the Central or State government, by the Director of Women and Child Development or the Director of Social Welfare in the case of NGOs by the Directorate of Information and Publicity in the case of journalists and the Director of IT in the case of those working in the field of telecommunications.
