11,000 More Construction Workers To Get Rs 5,000 Aid In Coming Days: Delhi

Nearly 11,000 more construction workers in the national capital registered with the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board will receive a one-time financial assistance of Rs 5,000 in the coming days, a statement from the office of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday.

The Delhi government has been providing the financial assistance to the registered workers who are facing livelihood crisis during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

"A total of 2,10,684 construction workers are targeted to be provided the aid, out of which two lakh have already been disbursed a sum of Rs 100 crore and 11,000 workers will be granted the aid in the coming days," the statement said.

During last year's lockdown, the Delhi government disbursed Rs 5,000 each to as many as 55,000 construction workers.

In the second phase, the Delhi government will disburse Rs 46.1 crore to the construction workers, it said.

The government has also set up as many as 150 food distribution centres in various schools and construction sites to help migrant workers, daily-wage labourers and construction workers during the lockdown.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi for another week, saying the severity of COVID-19 is unabated and the positivity rate has been as high as 36 per cent in the last few days.

The lockdown imposed on April 19 night will now continue till 5 AM on May 3, he said. It was scheduled to end at 5 AM on April 26 before extension.

Thousands of migrant workers had gathered at railway stations and bus stands to catch a ride back home after Kejriwal had announced a week-long lockdown on April 19, notwithstanding the state government's assurance of taking care of them.