Poor who do not have bank accounts to get Rs 2,500 cash in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Social justice and empowerment department principal secretary Akhil Arora on Friday said directions had been issued to collectors to identify poor people who had been left out of the database and do not have bank accounts and distribute Rs 2,500 to these people.
Social justice and empowerment minister Bhanwar Lal Meghwal had on Thursday said an additional amount of Rs 1,500 (apart from Rs 1000 announced earlier) will be given to 30.81 lakh poor families in the event of coronavirus epidemic.
“An additional amount of Rs 1,500 on top of the earlier announced Rs 1,000 will be given to all the poor families in Rajasthan. This is the second lot of relief amount. Hence, they will be given a total of Rs 2500,” said Arora. The ones who will be getting the amount through direct benefit transfer (DBT) include people belonging to the BPL category, state BPL category, Antodyaya and registered construction workers who are non-pensioners. “Nearly 30 lakh families are getting the money directly in their accounts. For the rest, we are giving money to the district collectors so that whoever is left out of the database and those who do not have bank accounts can get the money. The distribution will be done by collectors after conducting a survey to identify such people,” he added.
These people include beggars, street vendors, rickshaw-pullers, cart pullers and others who do not have bank accounts. “For them, we are allowing cash disbursement of the amount. We have also stated in the directions that the cash amount can be given to the poor along with food packets and dry ration packets so that they don’t suffer for the next few days,” said Arora.
He also said so far pension had been disbursed to 78.77 lakh pensioners amounting to Rs 700 crore. “The pension has already been disbursed for the first month. From today (Friday), disbursement for the second month amounting to Rs 700 crore has also started,” he added.