Bhubaneswar: In a bid to woo the voters ahead of the election to urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expanded the umbrella scheme to the urban areas.
"Pension holders under different welfare measures like Madhu Babu Pension Yojana as well as national pension holders living in the urban areas will also be given assistance of Rs 100 to purchase umbrella to tide over summer and rainy season," an official said.
More than three lakh needy persons would be benefited from the initiative, the official said adding that the chief minister had asked district collectors to disburse the assistance money to the beneficiaries on June 15.
The umbrella scheme will now cover differently-abled, widows, destitute and elderly persons in urban areas. The total number of beneficiaries to get the umbrella assistance reached nearly 36 lakh.
The government on May 21 had announced a one-time assistance to the tune of Rs 100 for the pension holders of the rural areas for umbrella. Thirty-three lakh people have received Rs 100 each for umbrella.
PTI
