Jammu and Kashmir: Saksham to provide special assistance to COVID victims' families
Srinagar: The Administrative Council (AC), which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved the grant of financial relief through the Special Assistance Scheme for COVID Mortalities (SASCM/Saksham) to the families of COVIDvictims.
The scheme aims to ensure sustenance of families who have lost their solebreadwinner.Under the new scheme Saksham, the surviving spouse, and one eldest surviving memberof affected families will receive a special monthly pension of Rs. 1000 through directbank transfer (DBT), provided that they are not otherwise receiving any pension underother schemes.
Additionally, the scheme will also provide special scholarships to children who lost theirearning parent(s)/ sibling(s)/ guardian(s) to COVID.
The special scholarship will be paidannually at the rate of Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 40,000 through DBT to children studying up to12th standard, and higher education, respectively.
The Administrative Council also approved the creation of a special cell in the SocialWelfare Department for handholding the families of COVID victims and facilitating the extension of benefits under different Government schemes including financial assistancefor self-employment.
The said cell will consist of Director General, Women & Child Development, Director,Social Welfare Kashmir/ Jammu, Mission Director, ICPS, and representative of theFinance Department.
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