Jammu & Kashmir launches special scholarships for children orphaned by COVID-19

The scheme has been launched with an aim to provide special scholarships to children who lost their earning parent(s)/ sibling(s)/ guardian(s) to COVID-19.

The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on May 29 announced that the grant of financial relief through the Special Assistance Scheme for COVID mortalities (SASCM/Saksham) to the families of victims has been approved. Under this scheme, the state administrative council aims to ensure the sustenance of families who have lost their sole breadwinner due to coronavirus. At a meeting chaired by Mr Sinha, the Administrative Council also took the decision to approve the creation of a special cell in the Social Welfare Department for hand-holding the families of coronavirus victims and facilitating the extension of benefits under different government schemes, including financial assistance for self-employment.

The scheme has been launched with an aim to provide special scholarships to children who lost their earning parent(s)/ sibling(s)/ guardian(s) to COVID-19. The payment of these special scholarship would be done on annual basis at the rate of Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000 through DBT to children studying up to Class 12 and higher education, respectively, the spokesman said. "The cell will consist of the director general, Women and Child Development, director, Social Welfare Kashmir/ Jammu, Mission Director, ICPS, and representative of the Finance Department,” the spokesman added.

Under the new scheme Saksham, a special monthly pension of Rs 1,000 through direct bank transfer (DBT) will be received by the surviving spouse and one eldest surviving member of affected families provided that they are not otherwise receiving any pension under other schemes, the spokesman said. He further said with the launch of these schemes, Jammu and Kashmir became the first Union Territory to provide relief to COVID-affected families.

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