PUNJAB CM ANNOUNCES RS 1500/MONTH FOR CHILDREN ORPHANED, FAMILIES LOSING BREADWINNER DUE TO COVID 

PUNJAB CM ANNOUNCES RS 1500/MONTH FOR CHILDREN ORPHANED, FAMILIES LOSING BREADWINNER DUE TO COVID 

FREE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN OF SUCH FAMILIES TILL GRADUATION, STATE TO ALSO GIVE Rs 51,000, FREE RATION & HEALTH INSURANCE COVER

Chandigarh, May 20:

Beginning July 1, 2021, the Punjab government will provide Rs 1500 per month as social security pension, along with free education up to graduation, for all those children orphaned in the Covid pandemic, as well as families that have lost their breadwinning member.

Terming it the state’s duty to become the foster parents of the children who have lost both their parents in the unprecedented pandemic, the Chief Minister said his government will ensure free education in government institutions, for such children as well as children belonging to families that have lost their breadwinner to Covid.

Affected persons would also be eligible for grant of Rs. 51000 under Ashirwaad Scheme w.e.f. 1st July, and would be entitled to free ration under the State Smart Ration Card Scheme and coverage under the Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana. The State Government would also assist the affected family members to find a suitable job under Ghar Ghar Rozgaar te Karobaar Mission, said the Chief Minister, chairing a high-level Covid review meeting.

The relief measures will be provided to orphans until they attain the age of 21 years. In the case of families whose breadwinner has died, these would be provided for an initial period of three years, after which their situation will be re-assessed, and where the vulnerability continues to exist, the period may be appropriately increased.

The Chief Minister also announced the constitution of a Monitoring Committee, headed by the Minister for Social Security & Women and Child Development, to review progress and relief measures for every single case. The Committee shall meet at least once a month, he said.

The Department of Social Security & Women and Child Development would be the Nodal Department for implementation of the relief measures for the Covid affected persons. The committee would also maintain a record of all such affected persons and apprise them about the welfare measures being offered to them. Besides, the committee would also coordinate with the concerned departments until the desired relief has been made available.

PUNJAB CM LAUNCHES COVID CARE WHATSAPP CHATBOT FOR SELF-CARE DURING HOME ISOLATION

ALSO REVIEWS PROGRESS OF BHOJAN HELPLINE, LAUDS POLICE EFFORTS IN FEEDING COVID AFFECTED FAMILIES

Chandigarh, May 20

As part of Mission Fateh, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday launched a Punjab Covid Care WhatsApp chatbot for self-care during home isolation, information on bed availability and vaccine centres etc.

Patients in home isolation can put their vitals into the app, and these will be monitored by experts who will advise them on the course of treatment. The app is available in 3 languages – English, Punjabi and Hindi.

Chairing a high-level virtual meeting on the Covid situation, the Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of the recently launched Bhojan Helpline, under which more than 3000 food packets were delivered by Punjab Police at the doorstep of the Covid affected families in just a week. These included 2721 cooked and 280 uncooked food packets.

Lauding the Punjab Police for its role in the initiative, the Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to ensuring that nobody in the state goes to sleep hungry in these testing times, and urged all affected citizens to dial 112 or 181 for free meals.

DGP Dinkar Gupta said Covid canteens were established by the police department in less than 24 hours, with more than 120 cooked/uncooked food packets delivered on the very first day of the launch of the scheme. From May 14 to May 20, 2021, a total of 385 calls were received on Bhojan Helpline numbers with requests for food, he added.

Citing instances, he said the Pathankot Police had received a call from a woman living in the slums, who said they had no money to buy rations, and the police team instantly provided ration for 25 members living in that area.

In Hoshiarpur, following a request from a family of daily wage workers in the Tanda area, DSP Gurpreet Singh personally visited the affected family to deliver breakfast with fruits, milk and bread. The local Sarpanch also got to know about their condition and he then volunteered to take care of the family.

A 40-years-old woman from Amritsar, whose husband, son and daughter have tested COVID-19 positive, had been also extended help by the police, who were also inquiring about the well-being of the affected families and any other urgent needs they may have, during the delivery.

The maximum calls had so far been received from Amritsar City, Ludhiana City Patiala Bathinda, said the DGP.