As the COVID-19 pandemic triggered massive job loss and pushed millions into crisis, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced an assistance of ₹1,690.46 crore for economically and socially weaker sections of society.
The package would primarily benefit landless farmers, construction workers, urban poor, particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), beneficiaries of State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and physically- challenged students.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, 17.89 lakh landless farmers will get special monetary assistance of ₹1,000 under Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) for which ₹178.911 crore has been earmarked.
The government has placed ₹260 crore under Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan or Mukta Yojana (MUKTA), a scheme of urban wage employment. It has been decided to provide additional ₹50 to MGNREGA workers over their usual wage received between April and June. During this time, 6 crore man-days have been created which means the government would spend ₹300 crore.
Each registered construction workers will get special COVID-19 assistance of ₹1,500 for which ₹360 crore would be spent.
Similarly, the government will provide 5 kg of free rice to SFSS beneficiaries from the month of July to November for which ₹92.86 crore has been earmarked.
The CM also announced ₹5,000 for 66,214 members of PVTGs.
