Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, G C Murmu, has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 5.70 crore, out of J&K Relief Fund, for providing two months free ration and dietary items to inmates of residential institutions run by Government, residential institutions run by NGOs (provided Grant-in-Aid) and residential institutions run by NGOs where inmates exist.
With this financial assistance, a total of over 21000 inmates of these institutions including children, old age persons besides physically and mentally challenged would be benefited. “This move of the government has provided much needed relief to these people in distress during ongoing lockdown imposed due to the global pandemic of COVID-19”.
During the ongoing lockdown, these institutions needed one time government support on dietary items so that inmates do not face any difficulty on this account.
Social Welfare Department has been directed to release the amount through DBT mode besides ensuring that this amount is utilized only for providing quality dietary items to the inmates and not for making any other expenses. It has also been directed to ensure that dietary items reach to the institutions and served to the inmates of all residential welfare institutions in the Government as well as Non-Government sector uninterruptedly.
The Social Welfare Department has been advised to take care of health, social distancing and other precautionary measures like provision of masks, sanitizers, soaps and conducting regular visits to such institutions.