Bhubaneswar: In view of prevailing chilly condition with declining mercury level in the State, the Odisha government on Friday directed concerned authorities to provide winter assistance to the beneficiaries by December 1.
At a review meeting, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed to provide Rs 300 to the poor especially senior citizens to purchase blanket to beat the winter condition. The move will benefit more than 48 lakh poor beneficiaries under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). The government has sanctioned Rs 146 crore for the purpose, a release issued by the CMO stated..
Emphasizing the safety of elderly people in the winter, the CM has directed the Panchayati Raj department, Urban Development department, district Collectors and head of civic bodies to ensure that no one should spend night under open sky.
It was decided at the review meeting, the school buildings and panchayat office buildings would be used as night shelters for the poor and homeless people. As many as 855 night shelters have been functional in the State, government said.
Notably, the state government has been providing summer and winter assistance to the old age pension beneficiaries at an interval of two years.
