The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday announced several welfare measures for families severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The J&K government has taken several measures to help those who unfortunately lost their loved ones to COVID-19. 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 COVID-19 pandemic will be provided with special scholarship by the government," the office of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on Twitter.
The government said it has decided to reach out to each and every such family and they will be provided with financial assistance for self-employment.
"At a time when this global pandemic has rendered daily workers jobless, the government has decided to provide Rs 1,000 per month to all registered construction workers, ponywalas, palkiwalas, pithuwalas for the next two months," it added.
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The government has directed all officers concerned to ensure the supply of ration to all ration card holders on priority.
Installments of social welfare schemes such as old-age pension, Laadli Beti and PMAY, MGNREGA and other welfare schemes will be released immediately, it added.
In these challenging times, the old-age homes and orphanages will be extended all the support from the government including rations, the government said.
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"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," it added.