COVID-19 outbreak: Hostels of Divyang students to be shut in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In view of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Odisha, the state government directed to shut hostels of divyang students for a period of three months.

The hostels of divyang educational institutions will remain closed from March 25 to June 30. The inmates will get three-month advance amount for the expenses towards food and travel, informed Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Minister Ashok Chandra Panda yesterday.

Also, various therapy centres functioning for divyang students have been shut as part of taking precautionary measure to prevent spread of coronavirus.

According to reports, the divyang students staying at hostels of special educational centres and therapy centres are paid Rs 1200 per month towards food. With the decision, the authorities will provide the three-month stipend money in advance to parents of the students enrolled at 98 special residential educational institutions and 32 therapy centres under the SSEPD department in Odisha.

The person, who will be engaged to drop the students at their homes, will get the maximum amount of Rs 500 towards travel allowance.