PremiumDelhi government on Tuesday notified a scheme to provide financial assistance to the families that lost a member due to COVID-19. As per the Social Welfare Department notification, under the Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana, ₹50,000 ex-gratia will be given to every family that has lost a member due to COVID-19. Additionally, a pension of ₹2,500 per month would be given to the families that lost the sole breadwinner due to pandemic
The scheme was announced by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 18. He had also promised free education and financial assistance to children who have lost one or both parents.
Social Welfare Department's notification reads, "Government will also consider a single member of the affected family to be enrolled as a civil defence volunteer. Besides these, the state affirms to look after the health and education needs of the dependent children as per existing policy."
There is no income criterion to apply for ex-gratia under the scheme.
“The deceased and dependant both should be from Delhi… Death should be certified as COVID-19 death or death within one month of testing Covid positive and verified by the health department as Covid death," the notification said.
Addressing a digital press conference, Kejriwal had on May 18 said, “Each family in which death has occurred due to Covid, ex-gratia of ₹50,000 will be provided."
"There are also many families where the earning member died due to COVID-19. Such families will be provided a monthly pension of ₹2,500 besides the ex-gratia of ₹50,000," he had said.
Children who lost their both parents or single parent to COVID-19 will also be provided ₹2,500 per month till they achieve 25 years of age. The Delhi government will also provide free education to them, he had said.
Delhi COVID update
Delhi saw 134 new COVID-19 cases, 467 recoveries and eight deaths in the last 24 hours.
There was a marginal rise in cases compared to Monday when the city had seen 89 new coronavirus cases.
The city had also recorded its least positivity rate at 0.16 per cent on Monday.
The total count of cases in the national capital has gone up to 14,32,778 including 1,918 active cases. Delhi had reported 1900 active cases on March 10 this year and today's active cases count is the lowest since then.
The positivity rate was 0.2 per cent on Tuesday according to the Delhi Health Department bulletin.
(With inputs from agencies)
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