Delhi govt to give Rs 1 cr to family of MCD teacher who died due to COVID-19

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday condoled the death of a municipal teacher due to coronavirus and said that an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore will be given to her family.

The chief minister said that Baikali Sarkar, a contractual teacher of municipal corporation, was engaged in distributing food at a government-run hunger relief centre and died of COVID-19 on May 4.

Under an existing policy, the government gives Rs 1 crore to the family of 'COVID-19 warriors' if they die due to coronavirus.

"She (Baikali) performed food distribution duty for the needy on April 10, 17 and 18. But, she could not come on April 24 as she was unwell," Kejriwal told an online medi briefing.

"First, she was admitted to the Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, and then to RML hospital where she passed away on May 4... The Delhi government will give an honorary compensation of Rs 1 crore to her family," he said.

Kejriwal further said that the Delhi government will provide Rs 5,000 as financial assistance to the city's construction labourers this month as well.

He said labourers are working at several construction sites in Delhi and that the poor are the most affected by coronavirus.

The amount has been deposited in some people's accounts and others will get it soon, Kejriwal said.

Last month too, the Delhi government had given an aid of Rs 5,000 to construction workers.