GUWAHATI: To provide social and financial security to the widows of Covid victims, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Chief Minister’s Covid-19 Widows Support Scheme on Sunday.
Under it, a one-time financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh will be provided to Covid widows with an annual income up to Rs 5 lakh. Additionally, they will get a financial assistance of Rs 830 per month under Arunodoi scheme and monthly widow pension.
CM Sarma handed over cheques to 176 of the 883 beneficiaries from eight districts. The remaining beneficiaries would receive the cheques from the ministers.
Sarma said, “Losing the loved ones is always painful. However, our government, in its bid to provide a little support at this testing time, has decided to assuage the sufferings of the family members of the deceased with financial support.”
The scheme has been launched to help the beneficiaries to lead a life of dignity in spite of pecuniary hardship that fate might lead them to in view of the death of the head of the family, he said.
Sarma said the government has already launched Sishu Seva Scheme to secure the academic future of those children who lost both parents to Covid. He said the government was creating budgetary support to help other Covid victims.