Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced a social security scheme for newspaper hawkers.
The hawkers registered under the Odisha Unorganised Worker’s Social Security Board will get the benefits of the scheme.
The next to kin of a newspaper hawker will get an assistance of Rs 2 lakh in case of accidental death while Rs 1 lakh will be provided for natural death.
Newspaper hawkers who become completely disabled due to an accident will get Rs 1.5 lakh while Rs 80,000 will be provided in case of loss of both limbs and Rs 40,000 to those who lose one limb, according to an official statement.
The Chief Minister also announced special assistance of Rs 3,000 in two phases to all registered newspaper hawkers in view of the Covid-19 situation.
The assistance will be paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The State Government has also decided to construct work-sheds for the hawkers at the district level. Patnaik has directed the Information and Public Relations department to prepare a digital database of hawkers and provide them identity cards.
The announcement was made acknowledging the important role played by the newspaper hawkers in the dissemination of information among the public, the CMO said.
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