(File Photo)
Srinagar, May 11 (UNI) Announcing a slew of measures for the families who have lost their loved ones to COVID-19 pandemic, Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) Lt Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Tuesday afternoon said special pension will be paid for life to senior citizens who lost their only earning member of the family.
Releasing Rs 55 crore to Divisional Commissioners (Div Com) of Kashmir and Jammu besides Deputy Commissioners (DC), J&K police under SDRF for emergency use, Mr Sinha announced that Rs 1000 per month will be credited into the accounts of registered construction workers, ponywalas, palikwalas and pithuwalas for the next two months.
Mr Sinha said children, who have lost their parents to Covid-19 pandemic, will be provided with special scholarship by the government.
However, he said our biggest priority is to defeat this pandemic. I urge all of you to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated. We will soon prevail together over this pandemic.
The LG said senior citizens who have lost only earning member of the family will be provided special pension for life while children, who have lost their parents to this calamity, will be provided with special scholarship by the government.
“Many of our near and dear ones have left us untimely due to Covid-19. The Government has decided to reach out to each and every such family and they will be provided with financial assistance for self-employment by the Jammu & Kashmir Bank,” the LG said.
Mr Sinha also observed that the global pandemic has rendered thousands of daily workers jobless. “The Government has decided to provide Rs 1000 per month to all registered construction workers, ponywalas, palkiwalas, pithuwalas for the next two months”, he maintained.
The government is also adopting other mitigation strategies and all concerned officers have been directed to ensure the supply of ration to all ration card holders on priority. Installments of social welfare schemes like old-age pension, Laadli Beti etc and PMAY, MGNREGA, and other welfare schemes will be released immediately," the LG further added.
Announcing these measures while chairing a high-level meeting, the Lt Governor said that in these challenging times, the Old-Age Homes, Orphanages will be extended all the support from the government including rations.
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