Bhubaneswar, February 15: Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik on Thursday approved provision of a special allowance out of State fund for 108 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).
Presently the Driver, Helper and EMT of the 108 Ambulances 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.
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 1,366 Ambulances, including 411 ALS Ambulances and six 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.
