COVID-19: J-K govt extends help to senior citizens, orphans, daily-wage workers

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 11 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday announced several measures to help those of lost their loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic and also the daily-wage workers hit by the pandemic in the union territory.
In an official statement, the LG informed that senior citizens who lost their sole-earning members of the family will be granted a life-long pension. Meanwhile, children whose parents succumbed to the deadly virus will be awarded a special scholarship.
"Senior citizens who have lost only earning member of the family will be provided special pension for life. Children, who have lost their parents to the COVID-19 pandemic will be provided with special scholarship by the government," he announced.
The government has also decided to reach out to each and every family, whose dear ones met with an untimely death due to CVOID-19, and will be provided with financial assistance for self-employment.
Acknowledging the plight of daily-wage workers who lost their means of livelihood to the second wave of the pandemic, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to lend them Rs 1,000 per month for the next two months.
"At a time when this global pandemic has rendered 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," said Sinha.
The administration has also directed all concerned officers 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, MGNAREGA, and other welfare schemes will be released immediately, as per the official statement.
"In these challenging times, the old-age homes, orphanages will be extended all the support from the government including rations etc," he added.
Sinha also urged people to follow COVID protocols amid the increasing number of cases.
"Our biggest priority is to defeat this pandemic. I urge all of you to follow COVIDappropriate behaviour and get vaccinated. We will soon prevail together over this pandemic," he concluded.
Jammu and Kashmir currently has 49,951 active COVID-19 cases. According to the Union Health Ministry, 703 fresh COVID cases and 56 deaths were registered in the union territory in the last 24 hours. (ANI)