ITANAGAR, April 20 - As decided by the State Cabinet to provide financial assistance of Rs 3,500 each to the stranded Arunachalee people in various parts of the country due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today released a sum of Rs 5,020,6500 from the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund.
�This amount will facilitate one-time financial assistance to 14,859 stranded Arunachalees and will directly be credited in their account number through the concerned deputy commissioners,� stated a communique from the CMO here.
The list of stranded Arunachalees collected by the State Control Room has been shared with the concerned deputy commissioners who will release the financial assistance after verification in consultation with the local MLAs and other stakeholders preferably by April 21. The funds have been transferred to the DCs for onward payment through DBT mode, it said.
It may be pertinent to mention here that the Khandu Cabinet taking note of the grievances and issues faced by many stranded Arunachalee people across the country decided to provide monetary aid of Rs 3,500 each to such persons for their sustenance during the period of coronavirus lockdown 2.0 from the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund.
Food stock: In the meantime, the Arunachal Pradesh Government today said the State has enough food stock at the moment which can last at least for the next three months.
�There is sufficient stock of rice available in every district of Arunachal Pradesh which can last at least for the next three months,� stated an official communique shared by the Arunachal Government�s Information and Public Relations Department here that refuted the alleged food shortage, as reported by a section of the media, amid the ongoing corona lockdown.
�All the 13 CPO (Central Purchasing Organisation) locations which are situated in remote border areas also have at least two months of rice stock. Since the lockdown, Indian Air Force has carried out multiple sorties by AN-32 transport plane and helicopter for lifting rice to remote locations in Arunachal Pradesh. The State Government also used its helicopter for the said purpose,� it said.
Further, the Food Corporation of India provided more than 1,000 metric tonnes of rice for open market sale in various districts. The State has also created a buffer stock of 100 MT of potato and 60 MT of pulses, which can be released in the market based on demand.
The State is also providing free ration to those whose livelihood has been impacted due to the lockdown. Around 20,000 persons have received free ration in various districts of Arunachal Pradesh since the lockdown.
The communique said, �The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has noticed certain media reports regarding hunters killing a king cobra for meal as there is no rice left amidst the lockdown. Such factually incorrect reporting should have been avoided.�
Stating that all the officials are available round the clock for any kind of clarification on any COVID-19 related issue, it added: �We request the media fraternity to obtain information/clarification from government sources before reporting anything related to COVID-19.�
