Goa announces Rs 2 lakh compensation for COVID-orphans, increases age limit in childcare institutions

Panaji: The Goa government on Sunday (May 30, 2021) announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of COVID-19 victims who were either breadwinners of the family or hailed from poor backgrounds.

Making the announcement in his Statehood Day address, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also said another scheme, called 'Mukhyamantri Anath Aadhar Yojana', will be launched, under which orphaned children will get monthly financial aid.

The age limit for inmates in childcare institutions has been raised to 21, he said, and orphans, irrespective of whether their parents succumbed to the coronavirus infection, who are in Class X will be provided free laptops by the state government.

CM Sawant said his government was trying its best to tackle the outbreak and the positivity rate of the infection was steadily declining in the state.

The second phase of the vaccination drive for those in the 18-44 age group will begin from June 3, the CM said.

Couples with children below the age of two, people with comorbidities, rickshaw-taxi drivers, seafarers, differently-abled persons etc would be given priority in vaccination, Sawant informed in his address to the state.

He thanked previous governments for their efforts that helped shape the progress of the state and also hailed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for its help in the past seven years, and more significantly during the coronavirus outbreak.

Announcing an administrative decision, the CM said some legal documents, which still carry 'Goa, Daman and Diu' will now just have the word Goa, and the state law department has been asked to do the needful.

He also said panchayats in a financially weak position would be given a fund of Rs 50,000 to tackle damages from the recent cyclone or the COVID-19 outbreak, and the amount would be transferred by Monday or Tuesday.