The fresh initiatives taken by the Jammu Kashmir Administration for providing some relief to the Covid victims' families and for daily livelihood earners are worth appreciation at this time of distress. Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today announced a slew of measures to mitigate the suffering of families who have lost their loved ones to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among these innovative measures, senior citizens who have lost only earning member of the family will be provided a special pension for life while children, who have lost their parents to this calamity, will be provided with special scholarship by the government. For daily livelihood earners, the government has decided to provide Rs 1000 per month to all registered construction workers, ponywalas, palkiwalas, and pithuwalas for the next two months.
Reports also said that the administration will reach each and every one of such suffering families and they will be provided with financial assistance for self-employment by the Jammu & Kashmir Bank.
Besides, it is assured that Administration would ensure the supply of ration to all ration card holders on priority. Instalments of social welfare schemes like old-age pension, Laadli Beti etc and PMAY, MGNREGA, and other welfare schemes will be released immediately.
Announcing these measures while chairing a high-level meeting, LG further announced helping the Old-Age Homes, Orphanages in these challenging times by the support from the government including rations will provide some solace to the deprived lot.
The Administration has provided for Rs 55 crore that would be released under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to all the Deputy Commissioners, both Divisional Commissioners and J&K Police for emergency use during the current Covid-19 crisis. Rs 2 crore will be released to all 20 Deputy Commissioner, Rs 5 crore to both Divisional Commissioners and Rs 5 crore to J&K Police for emergency use under SDRF.
While these pro-people relief measures need to be appreciated by one and all, the administration should reinforce the availability of Oxygen and Ventilators in the hospitals and district health centres and also augment enhancement in the bed capacity with oxygen support.
At the same time, the vaccination drive should be given momentum with full vigour to cover maximum people in coming weeks.
The public has now become more sensitive towards the danger of Covid and are willing to cooperate with the administration in its efforts to overcome the agonizing situation.
For being caught unaware initially, Jammu Kashmir too has suffered badly in terms of loss of lives and avoidable heart-wrenching situations, however, the aggressive operations started later against the second wave of virus may hopefully, control the Covid on the rampage.
