By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 30, 2021: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced social security benefits for the newspaper hawkers in the state. All the newspaper hawkers registered with the Odisha unorganised workers welfare board will get the social security assistance, said a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

The next to kin of a newspaper hawker will get an assistance of Rs 2 lakh in case of accidental death while Rs 1 lakh will be provided for natural death.

Newspaper hawkers who become completely disabled due to an accident will get Rs 1.5 lakh while Rs 80, 000 will be provided in case of loss of both limbs and Rs 40, 000 to those who lose one limb, the statement said.

The Chief Minister also announced special assistance of Rs 3, 000 in two phases to all registered newspaper hawkers in view of the Covid-19 situation.

The assistance will be paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The government has also decided to construct work-sheds for the hawkers at the district level. Patnaik has directed the Information and Public Relations department to prepare a digital database of hawkers and provide them identity cards.

The announcement was made acknowledging the important role played by the newspaper hawkers in the dissemination of information among the public, the CMO said.