The Meghalaya government has yet to transfer financial aid to more than 36,000 people identified as being in need during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong admitted today.
That is around 20 percent of the total of 1.81 lakh daily wage workers, vendors and others who were judged to be eligible for the Rs 2,100 package from the government that was allocated last year when the coronavirus first wreaked havoc on the state.
Tynsong informed all this after reacting to allegations by activist Angela Rangad, who claimed that there was corruption in the provision of financial assistance.
The Deputy CM, while attacking the accusations, informed that last year the state government received 2.33 lakh applications for the aid. The scheme was meant to help those whose livelihoods were derailed due to the 2020 lockdown.
“After screening the applications, we found out that 1,81,491 were qualified and eligible for the Rs 2,100 special assistance provided by the government,” he informed. Out of these, 1,45,161 have received the money while it is still pending for 36,330 others.
The total funds dished out have crossed Rs 30 crore.
Meanwhile, for the Meghalaya Other Construction and Building Workers Welfare Board, he said that there were 25,794 eligible workers and an amount of Rs 12,89,70,000 has been disbursed at the rate of Rs 5,000 per beneficiary.
