About 13,000 lives saved under 'Farishtey Dilli Ke' scheme so far: Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: About 13,000 lives have been saved by good samaritans under the Delhi government's 'Farishtey Dilli Ke' scheme, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday.

The scheme, launched in October 2019, encourages people to rescue those who have met with road accidents. Addressing an event at the Thyagaraj Stadium, Kejriwal said, in some cases it becomes difficult for medical aid to reach an area during an emergency because of congestion.

"But, under our 'Farishtey Dilli Ke' scheme, this issue is being addressed. About 13,000 human lives have been saved so far, under this scheme," he said. Under the scheme, the Delhi government incurs the expenditure for treating eligible road accident victims and gives incentives to those who helped them.

In February 2021, Kejriwal tweeted that over 10,000 lives had been saved under the scheme. "People are coming forward to help each other. You should also help those who met with any road accident. To save someone's life is a pious act," Kejriwal had tweeted.

The Delhi chief minister, while launching the scheme, had said that at least 3,000 lives were saved during the pilot project of the initiative which ran for 18 months.

"The chances of survival increases by 70-80 per cent if an accident victim is taken to the hospital within one hour of the accident, which is the 'Golden Hour'," he had said.

The event at the Thyagaraj Stadium on Saturday was organised to announce the setting up of volunteer-based Tiranga Samman Samitis.

"These volunteers will be assigned five duties. No one should sleep hungry in their area; no child should be left out of school; medical aid should be ensured to those who are in need; no homeless should be left in the streets, and their respective areas should be clean," Kejriwal said.