Madhya Pradesh government to pay Rs 5,000 monthly pension to Covid-hit families

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced a Rs 5,000 per month pension and free education to children who have lost their parents or guardians due to Covid-19.

Chouhan said the government would also provide interest-free loans to those who lost earning members of their families in a bid to help them start business.

“We will provide education free of cost to the children who have lost their parents. They will be provided free ration even if they are not eligible for it,” the chief minister said.

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The announcement by Chouhan comes at a time when Congress has been demanding minimum income support for the poor as states have announced restrictions on movement to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Chouhan said the Covid-19 pandemic has severely hit many families. Children have lost their parents, while aged people have been left alone as those taking care of them died due to the viral infection.

“Our government will stand by such children and families and provide Rs 5,000 pension per month to them,” Chouhan said.

“They are the children of the state and it will look after them,” the chief minister said.

On Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh reported 8,970 new cases of Covid-19 and 84 deaths, taking the tally of infections to 7,00,202 and the death toll to 6,679.

The state has been battling shortages and black marketing of medicines with leaders of the ruling BJP complaining of sale of fake remdesivir injections.