Rs 6,000 special COVID assistance announced for newspaper hawkers in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Acknowledging the hard work of newspaper hawkers during pandemic, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced Rs 6,000 special COVID-19 assistance for them.

The special financial assistance of Rs 6,000 will be sanctioned to each newspaper hawker in two phases from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).

Earlier, Patnaik had announced a social security scheme for the newspaper hawkers, who are registered under Odisha Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board.

Under the scheme, the kin of hawkers will be provided with accidental death benefit of Rs 2 lakh and natural death benefit of Rs 1 lakh. Besides, the beneficiaries will get Rs 1.5 lakh compensation in cases of complete disability due to accident. In case of partial disability, a hawker will be provided with Rs 80,000, he/she loses both limbs in any mishap and Rs 40,000 for loss of one limb.

Read: Odisha CM announces social security net for newspaper hawkers