Biswanath district’s guardian minister Pijush Hazarika formally launched the ‘Chief Minister’s Covid-19 Widows Support Scheme’ at a function held at Biswanath College of Agriculture here today. At least 32 widows, who have lost their husbands due to Covid-19, were handed over cheques of Rs. 2.5 lakh each as one-time financial assistance.
While addressing the gathering, the minister said that though the government cannot compensate for the loss of a loved one, yet the onetime financial assistance would help mitigate the financial hardships of the widows to an extent and help them lead a life of dignity.
Pijush Hazarika also said, “By launching this scheme, Assam has once again shown that it is the leading state in the country to launch unique welfare schemes for benefit of its people. We have been doing so in past and would keep doing in the future as well. Our chief minister has the vision to make Assam among the top 5 states of the country and we are moving well in that direction.”
Those women whose husbands have died after testing positive for Covid-19 are entitled to availing benefits under this scheme. However, the widow must be from a low-income group and the annual income must be below Rs. 5 lakh. The ‘Chief Minister’s Widow Support Scheme’ comes close on the heels of the launch of the ‘Sishu Seva Scheme’ where financial assistance is provided to children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19. The objective of the scheme is to secure the future of such children and also to enable them to complete their education without facing any adversity.
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