Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday provided ex gratia of Rs 1 crore each to the families of 11 Government staff members who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among them were two senior officers whose compensation had earlier been denied by the previous Aam Aadmi Party Government.

The frontline workers of Delhi remained dedicated to their duties, risking their lives when everything came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said in a post on X Corp (formerly Twitter Inc).

“That feeling of service and dedication saved thousands of lives. The Delhi Government stands with the families of those Karmyogis who sacrificed their lives on duty, discharging their responsibilities,” the Chief Minister said.

She said this was not merely financial assistance, but a heartfelt expression of deep gratitude and humble tribute to their service.

“The courage and selfless service of these brave individuals will forever remain etched in our hearts, inspiring future generations with lessons of duty, compassion, and devotion,” she said.

Speaking at a low-key ceremony held at the Delhi Secretariat, the Chief Minister remarked that no Government can ever truly compensate for the loss of a human life.

Still, it is the government’s moral duty to provide every possible support to such families. She said it was a matter of pride for the Delhi Government that the families of these dedicated personnel who served with utmost commitment during the pandemic have now received their due with dignity. Delhi’s Minister of Social Welfare, Ravindra Indraj Singh, was also present on the occasion.

The families of the following deceased employees received the ex gratia cheques, V Nangthanlian (Department of Trade and Taxes), Raj Bala Garg (GTB Hospital), Babita (CBPACS), Rohan Joshi (MCD), Dr Ravinder Kumar Goel (DGHS), Aniyamma Reji (MAMC), Biswajit Das (DTC), Rajesh Kumar (Department of Education), Dr Naveen Ram (BSF), Dr Vijay Singh Rajan (BSF), and Arun Sood (DHS).

Each officer’s family has received Rs 1 crore in recognition of their service during the pandemic in Delhi, where they were directly involved in managing medical infrastructure.

The Chief Minister said that the dedication and spirit of service shown by these personnel would forever be remembered as one of the most shining chapters in Delhi’s history.

The Chief Minister further stated that COVID-19 was not merely a public health crisis for the world but also a personal tragedy for millions of families. “Today, we pay tribute to all those who lost their lives during the pandemic. This assistance is not compensation, but a symbol of the Delhi Government’s empathy and solidarity,” she said.

The Chief Minister recalled that when the nation was gripped by fear and uncertainty during the pandemic, government doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation workers, teachers, and other frontline employees risked their lives in the service of the people.

She expressed her disappointment that the previous Governments had shown apathy towards extending due assistance to these families, even though they were legally entitled to it.

Significantly, the previous government had decided to consider only those COVID-19 death cases that occurred up to December 2023.

The present Government has now removed this restriction, allowing continuous hearings for families seeking compensation.

According to sources, the former Government had refused to release the payment on the grounds that these officers were employees of the central government, not the Delhi Government, and therefore should be compensated by the Centre. 

The Rekha Gupta Government has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) to review COVID-19-related matters which decided to remove the earlier restriction that limited eligibility to cases before December 2023.

This allows families to apply for relief at any time, provided they can demonstrate that their loved one’s death occurred during the pandemic period.

Sources within the GoM confirmed that the BSF administration resubmitted the cases of these two officers, noting that both had died in Delhi during the COVID-19 period.

After due deliberation, the group approved the relief amount for their families.