Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday enhanced the financial assistance under Harischandra Yojana, which provides financial assistance to poor and destitute for conducting the last rites of their family member.
The assistance has been enhanced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for rural areas and from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for urban and Puri Swargadwar. Hence, a revolving fund has been opened in each Gram Panchayat and a sum of Rs 15,000 has been provided.
Notably, Harischandra relief expenses are being met from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. More than Rs 10.19 crore has been sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the revolving fund of all panchayats across the State.
The Gram Panchayat Extension Officer or any other block-level extension officer has been given the responsibility to supervise this new process.
Necessary modifications have been made in the software of the scheme for enhanced support and district-wise gram panchayat list has also been prepared.