New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that Rs 1 crore (Dh480,000) will be given to the family of a health care professional if he or she died while dealing with coronavirus patients.
Kejriwal made the announcement while addressing the concerns of city doctors through video-conferencing and lauded them by saying that they were no less than soldiers fighting on the borders.
He said that just as his government is giving Rs 1 crore to the family of security personnel who die on duty, families of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and sanitation workers will also be given an equal amount if they died while dealing with corona patients.
“The amount is nothing compared with the efforts you are putting in. But this will be the country’s way of thanking you for your services and showing that we respect your efforts,” Kejriwal said, adding even Rs 100 crore is nothing before the efforts made by the medical professionals.
“Whether they are from private or government sector - it doesn’t matter. Their families will be provided Rs 1 crore each as a mark of respect for their services,” he said.
The step was taken after two clinic doctors and an oncologist from Delhi State Cancer Institute tested positive.
Delhi has reported 120 coronavirus cases so far.
Rs 500,000 ex gratia announced for LPG vendors
To continue the uninterrupted supply of the domestic cooking gas cylinders during the lockdown, oil companies have announced Rs 500,000 ex gratia for delivery staff.
Indian Oil personnel, like LPG showroom staff, warehouse-keepers, mechanics and delivery boys, retail outlet customer attendants and truck drivers were risking their lives to ensure delivery of fuel to people, said a government official.
If a person died from Covid-19, an ex gratia of Rs 500,000 will be paid to the spouse. In the absence of a spouse, the amount will be paid to the next of kin of the deceased.
It’s a goodwill gesture in recognition of the services rendered by the Indian Oil personnel in this trying time, he said.
Kejriwal calls for phone tracing of those on home quarantine
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that he has ordered for stricter security deployment after doctors informed him about COVID-19 patients behaving in an aggressive manner, besides directing to trace the phone locations of those put on home quarantine.
The Chief Minister said in a media briefing that doctors have informed him about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and he has requested the Centre and all medical suppliers to provide the same.
“I spoke to the doctors today and received many suggestions from them. Security is the main issue which they told me about. There are some patients who are very aggressive. Yesterday, a patient attempted suicide at a city hospital. The doctors had to run to save the person as no one else was ready to touch a coronavirus patient,” the Chief Minister said.
Kejriwal said that he has directed the Delhi Home Department to deploy more security personnel at the hospitals across the city.
He said there is a lack of PPE and testing kits, adding: “I will urge the Centre to provide the same.”
Kejriwal also said that the government will use technology to trace the people being asked to be on home quarantine.
“Many developed countries are using technology to map the movements of the suspected cases. We have asked the Delhi Police to help us do the same,” he said.
Kejriwal said that on Tuesday, over 11,000 phone numbers were given to the police for tracing their movements and the people they were meeting.
