Encouraging signals
There is no doubt that fatalities have increased in entire Jammu and Kashmir during the current second wave of covid-19, leaving hundreds of families without any earning hands to survive.
Taking note of such tragedies in the social life of Jammu and Kashmir, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha recently announced a special financial assistance scheme in order to help these families to come out of financial distress.
He recently said that his administration will constitute Special Cells for handholding of families & to facilitate extension of benefits under existing welfare schemes.
Already there are various social welfare schemes which cover the vulnerable section of society in Jammu and Kashmir though the financial assistance under these schemes is very meagre.
On the directions of LG Manoj Sinha, the J & K Government has adopted a comprehensive approach, by creating a Special Cell in the Social Welfare Department to identify and track support to these families over time, in the spirit of leaving no one behind. Under the scheme, called or ‘Special Assistance Scheme for COVID Mortalities (SASCM)’, cash assistance of Rs 1000 per month shall be provided to spouse and the eldest member of the family.
These families immediately need the handholding from the government but the bureaucrats must understand that there is need of enhancing the financial assistance to all vulnerable sections of the society including these latest covid victim families.
