New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed Labour Minister Manish Sisodia to provide Rs 5,000 as financial assistance to construction workers amid ban on construction-related activities in the national capital.
The Delhi government has banned construction and demolition activities under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) following Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) order.
GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.
“Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed Labour Minister, Sh Manish Sisodia, to give Rs 5,000 pm as financial support to each construction worker during this period when construction activities are not permitted,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed Labour Minister, Sh Manish Sisodia, to give Rs 5000 pm as financial support to each construction worker during this period, when construction activities are not permitted
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 2, 2022
The Delhi government will deposit Rs 5,000 in the accounts of over 10 lakh construction workers of Delhi. A sum of approximately Rs 500 crores is to be spent on the scheme, said a Delhi government statement, as reported by news agency PTI.
The assistance amount will be deposited by the government directly in the accounts of the registered construction workers soon, it said.
The Delhi government had spent Rs 350 crores to support 7 lakh construction workers last year too due to pollution-induced ban on construction activities, the report said.
Even during the coronavirus crisis, the Delhi Government had provided an aid of Rs 5,000 to all the construction workers, the statement added.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the “severe category” in various areas of the national capital as the air quality continued to deteriorate. Delhi still qualifies as “extremely poor,” with a total AQI of 354.
The Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is moderate, from 200 to 300 it is poor, and from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor and from 400 to 500 or above it is considered as severe.
