Guwahati News Desk: Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma launched Chief Minister’s COVID-19 Widows Support Scheme on Sunday.
The scheme was launched to provide some relief to women whose husbands died of COVID-19 disease during the pandemic. A sum of 2.5 lakh will be given to such eligible widows as one time grant.
Eligibility Criteria:
1) The beneficiary should be a permanent resident of Assam.
2) The beneficiary’s husband should have died with a COVID positive status at the time of death, and it should be certified by the State level COVID Death Audit Board.
3) The beneficiary must belong to a low-income family having an annual income of up to Rs 5 lakhs.
4) Beneficiaries of ‘Orunudoi’ and ‘Widow Pension’ scheme are also eligible to get the benefit of the scheme.
5) Widows of Government servants will not be covered under this scheme. They will get the family pension as per usual terms.
Process of Implementation:
1) The Deputy Commissioner shall compile the list of eligible beneficiaries from the National Health Mission (NHM) database of COVID victims. The list will be verified keeping in mind the eligibility criteria. On verification, the money will be disbursed to the beneficiaries account.
2) Any person who meets the eligibility criteria and is not a part of the final list can submit representation with supporting documents to the Deputy Commissioner concerned.
Documents Required:
1) Certification by Deputy Commissioner that the beneficiary fulfils each of the eligibility criteria.
2) Bank details like account number, bank name and branch, IFSC codes etc.