GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Saturday appealed to its employees to take the responsibility of helping five families each in their neighbourhood during the lockdown.
Stating that the full salaries of the employees will be disbursed for March, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged the bureaucrats to take care of five families each. The appeal to lower grade employees was to help three families each. The state government has some five lakh employees.
“While there was a discussion on possible deductions, we’ve decide to release full salary of Assam Govt employees for March. However, my humble request that in view of the lockdown, each one of you take care of at least 5 needy families. That will be best #Bihu gift you can give,” Sarma tweeted.
He said photos of the offers of help would feature in a government website. The Rongali Bihu, celebrated for one month from mid-April, will be a low-key affair this year around. Bihu committees in Guwahati have already cancelled the cultural programmes.
Sarma said 21 people from the state, stranded abroad, had been assisted with US$ 1,000 each. He said another US$ 1,000 would be given to each one of them. So far, the government received Rs 15,36,05,633 from people as COVID-19 donations, he added.