Kejriwal clears ₹1crore ex-gratia to kin of 17 Covid warriors

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal approved ₹1 crore honorarium each to the families of 17 Covid warriors who lost their lives while serving on the frontline.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday approved ₹1 crore honorarium each to the families of the 17 Covid warriors such as doctors, paramedical staff and other healthcare and frontline workers who had contracted the infection while working on the frontline and lost their lives while serving the people during the pandemic.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced in April 2020 that the Delhi government will pay ₹1 crore ex gratia to the kin of each healthcare and frontline worker who died of Covid. (ANI)

“Approval of the CM came after a meeting of the Group of Ministers decided for the ex-gratia grant of ₹1 crore each to the family of those corona warriors who passed away,” the Delhi government said in a statement.

In April 2020, the CM had announced that the Delhi government will pay ₹1 crore ex gratia to the kin of each healthcare and frontline worker who died of Covid. “The Delhi government salutes such workers who have served relentlessly the citizens of Delhi. There is no compensation for anyone’s life, but I am hopeful that this financial assistance will provide some ease to their families,” the CM said in a statement.

Among those whose kin will receive the ex gratia are Dr Anil Kumar Wahal of Hindu Rao Hospital and who died on May 11, 2021; Dr Perpetua Min Tigga of MCD Hospital Tilak Nagar and passed away on May 19; nursing orderly Pradeep Kumar of Delhi government dispensary in Majra Dabas and he succumbed to Covid on May 26, 2021; pharmacist Mahabir of Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital and he lost his life on April 26, 2021; nursing officer Poonam Nagar of GTB Hospital and who lost the battle against the disease on December 4, 2020; DTC employee Anil Kumar Garg who was deployed on oxygen tanker management duty and died on May 29; stretcher bearer Krishan Pal who worked at Guru Nanak Eye Centre and breathed his last on April 28, 2021.

The Delhi government also provides ₹1 crore ex gratia to the people in uniform who died in the line of duty.

Till now, 90 Covid warriors have been given ₹1 cr ex gratia.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor welcomed the decision of the Delhi government to offer ₹1 crore as compensation to each of the 17 Corona warriors, but alleged that the CM was playing dirty politics regarding the matter.

“It is sad that Arvind Kejriwal has taken almost two years to take a decision on offering compensation to the 17 Corona warriors. The CM should tell us why he has so long for this,” said Kapoor.