CM declares Rs two lakh ex-gratia for poor families

Team Herald

PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday announced that the State government will give Rs two lakh ex-gratia for families of economically weaker sections, who lost their bread winner to COVID-19 infection. 

Addressing the people of Goa on Statehood Day, Dr Sawant said the vaccination programme for people aged 18-44 years will restart from June 3, and preference will be given to parents of children below two years of age and those with co-morbidities.

Also auto-rickshaws and taxi drivers and yellow and black motorcycle pilots registered by the Department of Transport, persons with disabilities (PwDs) and seafarers will be given preference during vaccination. 

The Chief Minister further declared Mukhyamantri Anaath Adhaar Yojana (Chief Minister’s Orphans Assistance Scheme), a monthly stipend for orphaned children. Orphaned children studying in Class X and above will be given free laptops. 

Also non-institutional care benefit was increased from existing Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 4,000 per month for orphaned children and the age limit for orphans under government-run institutional care was also increased from 18 to 21 years.

Dr Sawant also announced that funds to the tune of Rs 50,000 will be given to 121 financially weaker village panchayats by Tuesday, June 1, so that they can utilise the funds for relief work caused by Cyclone Tauktae or to tackle coronavirus. 

All COVID-19 schemes formulated by the Government of India will be made applicable to eligible beneficiaries in Goa, he said.

During his address, the Chief Minister recalled the sacrifice made by the freedom fighters and role played by Indian Army to liberate Goa from colonial Portuguese and also the valuable contribution of all the past governments in the development of the State.

The Chief Minister said after 1994 cyclone, Cyclone Tauktae was a major natural disaster claiming three lives and causing destruction to both government and private properties. 

Extending his Statehood Day greetings to the people of Goa, Sawant gave brief details of various programmes organised by his Cabinet Ministers in all the talukas in virtual mode due to COVID-19 pandemic.   

The Chief Minister also said henceforth all the State laws and legislations and revenues codes would be known as Goa laws and nowhere Daman and Diu will be used, which was initially a part of Union Territory of Goa.

Goa attained Statehood on May 30, 1987 and Daman and Diu was made separate Union Territory.