‘Centre’s relief package for children defective’
The Hindu
Monthly stipend to orphans only after 18 years of age: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the Centre’s relief package for children who lost their parents to the COVID-19 infection was “defective”, as it stipulated the payment of a monthly stipend to them only after they attain 18 years of age. The package for orphans should be revised with a provision for immediate relief, he said. Addressing a video-conference meeting on COVID-19 vaccination here, Mr. Gehlot said he would speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Centre’s scheme and point out the “shortcomings and confusion” to him about the financial help to be extended to orphans. “Who knows where a child will be after 18 years? A package should provide an instant help,” he said. Mr. Gehlot said the Centre had not announced any measures to render help to women whose husband died of COVID-19 during the pandemic. In Rajasthan, the Congress government has announced a relief package comprising an ex-gratia of ₹1 lakh each to widows and orphans, followed by a financial assistance every month.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.