Delhi government launches financial assistance scheme for kin of COVID victims

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a scheme and an online portal to provide financial assistance to families who lost their loved ones to COVID-19 and asked officials not to find faults in their claim applications.

Under the 'Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana', Rs 50,000 ex gratia will be given to every family that lost a member to COVID-19 and an additional Rs 2,500 per month will be given if the deceased was the sole breadwinner.

Addressing a virtual press conference, Kejriwal said the "fourth wave" of COVID-19 in Delhi affected almost every family and many people died. "Many children were orphaned, many families lost their sole breadwinner. In such a case, being a responsible government, we conceptualised this scheme. We are launching a portal through which such people can apply for financial assistance. Our representatives will also visit such families and get applications filled up," he said.

The chief minister said such representatives will not reject claims of families in case any document is missing and will only facilitate the process. "I want to tell all such representatives not to conduct scrutiny of applications. If the families lack any document, we will help them obtain it. We have to make sure that we make this happen. Don't find faults with their documents...don't make them unhappy, encourage them. We have to ensure that we provide financial assistance to such families as soon as possible," Kejriwal said.

The Delhi government's Department of Social Welfare had notified the 'Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana' on June 22. The notification stated, "The government will also consider a single member of the affected family to be enrolled as a civil defence volunteer. Besides, 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 financial assistance under the scheme. "The deceased and dependent 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.

Earlier on May 18, Kejriwal had said, "Each family in which a death has occurred due to COVID will be provided an ex gratia of Rs 50,000. There are also many families where the earning member died due to COVID-19. Such families will be provided a monthly pension of Rs 2,500 besides the ex gratia of Rs 50,000."

Children who lost their both parents or one parent to COVID-19 will also be provided Rs 2,500 per month till they turn 25 years old. The Delhi government will also provide free education to them, he had said.