Received over 6,800 applications under Covid relief scheme: Delhi govt

The Delhi government has received over 6,800 applications from families of Covid victims for benefits under the "Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana", a social security scheme.

According to data shared by the government on Wednesday, it has received 4,165 applications for one-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 from July 6 till Tuesday afternoon.

Separately, it received 2,753 applications for monthly assistance under the scheme, the data showed.

The applications will be verified by district officials, and subsequently, the amount will be disbursed, the government said.

Delhi's death toll due to the pandemic stands at 25,073. The scheme was launched by the city government on July 6.

 

The scheme has a provision for ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to families that have lost loved ones to COVID-19. It also provides for a pension of Rs 2,500 per month if the deceased was the family's sole breadwinner.

While launching the scheme, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said Delhi has faced four waves of the coronavirus.

"The fourth one 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," he had said.

The Delhi Department of Social Welfare had notified the scheme on June 22.