Ahead of the 2014 general elections, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in yet another populist measure, on Tuesday announced a Rs 33-crore umbrella assistance scheme for vulnerable sections of the society.
This was the second such populist scheme for the vulnerable groups after the Rs 200 blanket scheme. In order to woo the groups towards the ruling BJD, the Chief Minister on the plea of summer and rainy seasons announced assistance of Rs 100 to be given to all pension holders.
Assistance to differently-abled, widows, destitute and old age persons would be given for purchase of umbrellas.
“Onetime assistance to the tune of Rs 100 will be given to all the pension holders in rural areas of the State,” the Chief Minister said, adding that an amount of Rs 33 crore would be spent for the purpose to assist about 33 lakh beneficiaries.
An estimated 16 lakh Madhubabu pension holders and about 17 lakh national pension holders would be assisted through this initiative, official source said.
Stating that the amount would be distributed along with the monthly pension amount on June 15, the Jan Seva Divas throughout the State, the sources said the beneficiaries would utilise the sum of Rs 100 for purchase of umbrellas.
People's representatives would be involved in the distribution of the assistance and senior officers would visit gram panchayats on the day of distribution for maintaining transparency in the distribution, the sources said.