Delhi govt to give ₹1 crore aid to families of 10 Covid duty staffers

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the assistance will be released shortly to the families of 10 such employees, adding that the process to cover all eligible cases is already underway.

The Delhi government on Wednesday announced that families of employees who lost their lives while carrying out their duties during COVID-19 will receive an ex-gratia amount of ₹1 crore each. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the assistance will be released shortly to the families of 10 such employees, adding that the process to cover all eligible cases is already underway.

The CM criticised the previous administration for failing to act swiftly on its promises.

“Doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, teachers and several other employees of the Delhi government risked their lives when the entire world had come to a standstill out of fear. Their service ensured that hospitals functioned, essential supplies reached people and the city did not collapse. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten in Delhi’s history,” the chief minister said.

To be sure, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had approved the same amount for at least 97 Covid warriors. However, it is unclear as to how many have actually received the amount so far.

Gupta said the government has constituted a Group of Ministers to oversee the disbursal of ex-gratia payments that had been pending for nearly five years due to “procedural delays”. The panel includes cabinet ministers Ashish Sood, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh, and is being assisted by senior officials, including divisional commissioner Neeraj Semwal and district magistrate Amol Srivastava.

“This is not a one-time announcement. The committee is continuously reviewing cases, and more families of employees are expected to receive the ex-gratia in the coming days,” Gupta said.

The CM, who came to power earlier this year, criticised the previous administration for failing to act swiftly on its promises. She said that despite making several announcements, the earlier government chose to focus on publicity instead of addressing the concerns of bereaved families.

“The ex-gratia, which was meant as a gesture of gratitude, was held back for five years. But no delay can ever diminish the value of the services rendered by our employees,” she said.

Calling the step both an “administrative reform” and a “symbol of sensitive governance”, Gupta said the BJP government had simplified the process to ensure families do not face hurdles.

HT tried to reach out to AAP for a response, however, they did not respond for a comment.