Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced Rs 4.38 crore Special Covid Assistance for newspaper hawkers. Under this assistance, Rs 6,000 was provided to each registered hawker in the State.
For this purpose, the Department of Information & Public Relations had prepared and registered digital databases of 7,300 hawkers. The assistance is provided from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The amount will be credited directly to their bank account.
Announcing the assistance, the Chief Minister said that the hawkers are a bridge between newspapers and readers. Let it be summer, rain, or winter, and even during the Covid pandemic, they forgot their grief and provided newspapers to the readers. Even in the digital age, the demand for newspapers has not diminished.
The Chief Minister informed that along with the Covid assistance, the hawkers would be included in the unorganized Social Security Board and provided assistance.
An assistance of Rs 2 lakh will be provided in case of accidental death, Rs 1 lakh in case of natural death, and for those who are completely disabled in the accident.
The Chief Minister also announced that worksheds would be set up at the district level for the benefit of hackers. It will be built by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Arrangements have also been made to provide Rs 1.5 lakh to the hawkers who have been permanently disabled due to accidents, Rs 80,000 to the hawkers who lost both limbs, and Rs 40,000 to the hackers who lost one limb.
