- NET Web Desk
The Assam Chief Minister – Himanta Biswa Sarma today noted that the state administration will provide an additional amount of Rs 250, to economically-weak households; in order to assist them in paying their monthly electricity bills.
The fixed additional amount will be given to beneficiaries of the ‘Orunodoi’ scheme, a flagship programme of the state government that currently covers nearly 20 lakh families.
The government provides monthly monetary assistance of Rs 1,000 to the beneficiaries under the programme.
Launching ‘Orunodoi Month’, Sarma said, “From October, the Orunodoi beneficiaries will get Rs 1,250 monthly. The additional Rs 250 will be provided to pay their electricity bills.” He said the government could have paid the amount directly to the power corporation but it “wants to instil responsibility among the people to make the payment themselves.”
Sarma mentioned that the beneficiary list for the programme would be revised within the next two months
Student volunteers will visit households for updating the list till September 20, and once the field visits are over, the list will be finalized by the district committees by October 10.
“We will cover the beneficiaries as per the updated list from October and they will get the revised amount,” the chief minister said. The updated list is intended to include six lakh more eligible families.
Sarma also urged families, who are currently on the list but whose financial condition has improved, to withdraw themselves from the scheme.
Those who are no longer meet the necessary criteria for being ‘Orunodoi’ beneficiaries have been requested to voluntarily leave the programme, he said.
Both online and offline methods are acceptable, according to Sarma, and 459 such families have already renounced their eligibility for the program’s benefits.
