Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday launched a financial assistance scheme for families who lost their breadwinners to COVID-19.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up a special cell in the Social Welfare Department to identify, track and support such families, an official spokesperson said.
As part of the initiative, Special Assistance Scheme for Covid Mortalities (SASCM), financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month will be provided to the spouse of the deceased or the eldest family member, he said.
Besides, the scheme provides a scholarship of Rs 20,000 per annum for school-going children and Rs 40,000 for those in college, he added.
“A family in distress shall be eligible for scholarship for two children if they are not getting any other scholarship,” the spokesperson said.
The Social Welfare Department’s special cell shall also explore if a family is eligible for further assistance under other government schemes, he said.
Sinha said the administration’s aim is to ensure financial security for families who have lost their breadwinners to COVID-19.
“We have taken prompt and decisive action to support the elderly, women and children. Our decision is about personal protection and mitigating vulnerability of families that have lost their breadwinners by extending long-term assistance,” he said.
“Therefore we are creating a special cell to track the welfare of the affected families. The pension and scholarship are only a part of our assistance. The other part shall be extending all possible assistance through existing schemes and support for self-employment. It is a comprehensive approach, aimed at (providing) overall support to empower these families,” he said.
As of Wednesday, COVID-19 has claimed 3,702 lives in Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials. ( PTI )
