KATHUA: The Covid-19 Pandemic has taken a huge toll on hundreds of millions of people across the globe. While the pandemic has made life difficult for the people due to limited economic activity, it has also snatched the bread earner of many families.
The fallout thus posed a huge challenge to the surviving members of the affected families where aged parents and dependent children have to look for help or support to sail through the unprecedented situation that arises due to Covid.
To minimize the woes of such affected families, Lieutenant Governor JKUT, Manoj Sinha announced a Special Assistance Scheme to enable the dependents of such victims to steer through the difficult times. The scheme aims to ensure sustenance of families who have lost their sole bread earner due to coronavirus.
The scheme was launched by Lt Governor JKUT Manoj Sinha on 30th June 2021 by handing over the sanction letters to the beneficiaries. Simultaneously, the Deputy Commissioners also gave away the document of financial assistance to the beneficiaries of their respective district on the launching day.
In Kathua, a total 35 family members of Covid victims have been given sanctioned letters of financial assistance by Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Rahul Yadav, comprising of 21 Pension Cases and 14 Special Scholarships to the school/college going wards of those bread earners who lost the fight against Covid-19.
Among the 21 beneficiaries who will get a monthly special pension of Rs 1000, 7 beneficiaries belong to Kathua block, 3 each to Nagri and Billawar; 2 each to Barnoti, Hiranagar and Nagrota Gujjroo, while 1 each to Marheen and Basohli blocks.
Similarly 14 students who got the sanction for Special scholarships includes 3 of Billawar, 2 each of Nagrota Gujjroo, Hiranagar, Barnoti, Kathua, and Nagri blocks, while 1 of Basohli blocks.
As per the Scheme, the surviving spouse and one eldest surviving member of affected families would receive a special monthly pension of Rs 1,000 through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT), provided that they are not otherwise receiving any pension under other schemes. Additionally, the scheme would also provide special scholarships to children who lost their earning parent(s)/ sibling(s)/ guardian(s) due to COVID-19.
The special scholarship would be paid annually at the rate of Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000 through DBT to children studying up to class 12 and higher education, respectively.
Under the Saksham Scheme, the Social Welfare Department has been given the task to identify the families so that benefits of the scheme shall be extended as per the policy of the scheme. The scheme has been devised to provide a maximum of four benefits (two pensions and two scholarships) to one family provided it meets the conditions of the scheme.