JK Govt launches financial assistance scheme for families who lost sole earning members to Covid

SRINAGAR: With the Covid-19 pandemic snatching the bread earners of many families, the Lt Governor administration on Wednesday launched a Special Scheme -- Special Assistance Scheme for Covid Mortalities (SASCM) -- for financial assistance to families, who lost their only bread earner to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Under the SASCM scheme, cash assistance of Rs 1000 per month shall be provided to spouse and the eldest member of the family.

The J&K Government has created a Special Cell in the Social Welfare Department to identify and track support to these families over time in the spirit of leaving no one behind.

Besides, the SASCM scheme provides for a scholarship of Rs 20,000 per annum for school-going students and Rs 40,000 per annum for college-going students.

“A family in distress shall be eligible for a scholarship for two children if they are not getting any other scholarship,” an official spokesman said.

The Special Cell in Social Welfare Department, he said, shall also explore further assistance under other existing schemes of the government for which the family may be eligible.

“An important element of support shall be financial assistance for self-employment for any of the surviving member, who wishes to start any business for livelihood support.”

A total of 3702 people have died of Covid-19 in J&K since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. Of the 3702 casualties due to Covid, 1918 have died in Kashmir and 1784 in the Jammu region.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said his administration has taken prompt and decisive action to support the elderly, women, and children.

“Our decision is about personal protection and mitigating vulnerability of families, which have lost their bread-earner by extending long-term assistance. The government’s aim is to take care of their day-to-day lives and ensure financial security,” he observed.