Kerala announces additional 5k per month for families of Covid-19 victims belonging to BPL category
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said monetary relief of Rs 5,000 per month would be provided to BPL dependent families of those who died due to COVID-19, in addition to the financial assistance they are already receiving.
The CM, in a release, said the decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting, where it was also decided that the additional relief would be made available only to BPL dependents of the deceased.
This relief would also be provided to BPL families of those who might die due to COVID-19 in the coming days, the CM said.
This additional relief would not make such families ineligible to receive other relief packages under social welfare, welfare funds or pensions, he said in the release.
Besides that, families settled here of those who died outside the state or country would also be eligible for the benefit and while including them in BPL category, income of the deceased would not be taken into account, the release said.
However, if there is a government employee or income tax payer in such families, then they would be ineligible for the new relief package and village officers have been directed to ensure such persons are not there when deciding the applications seeking the additional assistance, the CM said.
He also said that dependents should submit the applications in a simple one-page form, for which the District Collectors and Revenue authorities concerned have been tasked to take the necessary steps.
The CM further said that applicants should not be called to the office to decide their requests and the benefit must be paid within a maximum of 30 working days from receipt of the application.
The relief package of Rs 5,000 per month will be paid as a direct benefit transfer from the first month of payment till the next three years and the funds for the same would be taken from the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund till the required amount is allocated in the budget, the CM said in the release.
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DMK seeks separate seating in Lok Sabha after split with Congress alliance
New Delhi: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking a separate seating arrangement for Members of Parliament belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) following the end of the party’s alliance with the Indian National Congress.
In a letter dated May 7 addressed to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi said the changed political situation made it inappropriate for DMK MPs to continue sitting alongside Congress members in the House.
She requested the Speaker to make “suitable changes” in the seating arrangement of the DMK Parliamentary Party and allot separate seating for its MPs.
“In view of the changed political circumstances and as our alliance with the Indian National Congress has come to an end, it may not be appropriate for our Members to continue occupying the present seating arrangement alongside them in the House,” the letter stated.
Kanimozhi further said separate seating would help DMK members effectively discharge their responsibilities in the Lok Sabha.
