GUWAHATI: For social and financial security to the widows who have lost their husbands in the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Chief Minister's COVID-19 Widows Support Scheme at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardev International Auditorium in Guwahati on Sunday.
Under the scheme, one-time financial assistance of Rs. 2.5 lakh would be given to such women who lost their husbands due to COVID. It may be noted that to claim entitlement to the scheme, the beneficiary's husband should have died with a COVID positive status and the beneficiary must belong to a low-income group with an annual income up to Rs 5 lakh.
While launching the scheme, the Chief Minister handed over a cheque amounting to Rs. 2.5 lakh each to 176 beneficiaries belonging to eight districts namely Kamrup (Metro), Nalbari, Darrang, Baksa, Morigaon, Nagaon, Goalpara and Kamrup. As of today, 883 beneficiaries have become eligible under the scheme, as Sarma handed over the remaining cheques to the Guardian Ministers to distribute them (cheques) to the entitled beneficiaries across the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said, "The occasion we have all assembled here is not a happy one, as the government is equally sad as much as the widows who have lost their husbands. Losing 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".
Dr Sarma also said that the scheme has been launched to help the beneficiaries to lead a life of dignity despite pecuniary hardship that fate might lead them to given the death of the head of the family, a press release said.
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