Odhisa CM announces transportation cost for pregnt women

 Bhubaneswar, Sept 23: The Odisha government said on Saturday it would provide Rs 1,000 as transportation cost to pregnt women from iccessible areas to facilitate their institutiol delivery. As per the new scheme, those pregnt women reaching hospitals by arranging vehicles on their own will get Rs 1,000. The entire cost will be covered under the “SAMPUR” scheme and over Rs 6 crore would be spent annually. As per initial assessment report received from districts, about 7,853 villages covering all 30 districts would be covered under the scheme. It is expected that more than 60,000 pregnt women would be benefited annually. The Chief Minister also announced that the State government is launching the ASHA Kalyan Yoja which will benefit more than 47,000 ASHA workers functioning in the state. The scheme provides for assured activities to ensure a monthly incentives of Rs 1,000 to each ASHA worker, provision of one-time honorarium of Rs 10,000 to serving ASHA worker on attaining age of 60 years, provision of compensation of Rs 1 lakh for death, enhanced compensation for permanent disability up to Rs 1 lakh and support under ASHA education programme. (IANS)