Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday announced a one-time financial assistance of Rs.1 lakh each and a monthly pension of Rs.1,000 each to the two sisters – Mamta (40) and Neerja (29) – who had been rescued in a famished state from their Rohini home here a week ago.
Stepping in to help the family whose plight was brought to light on June 16 after the two sisters were rushed to a hospital, Ms. Dikshit has also announced a widow pension of Rs.1,000 per month to their 79-year-old mother Nirmala Gupta, who had been supporting the family on her own without any regular source of income.
Apart from this a one-time financial aid of Rs.10,000 has also been announced to the family in which there is also a fourth member — Mamta’s teenaged son, who had dropped out of school some months ago. A statement by the Delhi Government said considering the gravity of the case Ms. Dikshit has decided to help the family on compassionate grounds. The sisters are still undergoing treatment.
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Ms. Dikshit had earlier been requested by Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia to come to the aid of the family. Following a visit to the sisters and the family home, Prof. Walia had requested for providing them a one-time financial assistance along with regular pension. She had also announced that efforts will be made to get Mamta’s son back to school.
She had also declared that she was contemplating setting up a helpline so that people suffering from such financial distress and even their neighbours could call up to inform the Government about their condition and seek assistance.