Odisha CM urged to give cash incentive to domestic workers, transgenders

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Khadya Adhikar Abhijan today wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik suggesting him to provide financial support to domestic workers and transgenders as they are facing a lot of difficulties due to COVID-19 induced lockdown.

“We have been receiving regular complaints that Public Distribution System (PDS) and pension beneficiaries are being denied their entitlement due to lack of Aadhaar seeding. The majority of these rights-holders are differently abled, aged or chronically-ill persons, who require immediate support. We demand that no rights-holder is denied his/her entitlement for non-seeding of Aadhaar,” the outfit wrote in the letter. 

The body further mentioned, “54% of  wage payments is pending at central level. We request the state Government to urge the Centre to release the fund immediately for clearing  of pending wages of workers”.

The state Government has also been requested to take steps to ensure immediate procurement of turmeric from the farmers in Kandhamal district at minimum support price (MSP). 

The organisation thanked the CM for considering it’s suggestions and extending free ration on the lines of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to all State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) beneficiaries and advance release of 3 months’ pension at a time.