Assamese People Stuck Abroad due to Coronavirus to be Given Rs 1.50 Lakh

Guwahati, March 21, 2020:

Assamese who are stuck abroad amid the novel coronavirus pandemic will get a one-time financial aid of $2,000 (Rs 1.50 lakh).

The Assam State Government has decided to provide the financial assistance to the Assamese people stuck abroad in sustaining themselves while their stay outside India until they can return home amid rising cases of the coronavirus.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "We have decided to transfer $2,000 to residents of the state who are stranded abroad for a month and are unable to return home due to the global shutdown following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak."

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However, to avail this package, the Assamese people will have to stay stranded in the foreign soil for at least a month. He also clarified that the financial assistance is not for non-resident Indians or Assamese people who have been working or studying for a substantial period of time and have houses or hostels to stay in.

Taking it to Twitter, the Health Minister said, "For citizens of Assam stranded in foreign countries, except persons employed and students studying there,Govt has decided to provide assistance of $ 2000 each, subject to conditions. Today, we shall notify an email for communication."

The Government of Assam will notify the information through an email on Saturday because of shutdown of communication due to the pandemic. "We will transfer $2,000 to their accounts if they went abroad in the last 30 days according to the date of stamping in their passports," said Himanta Biswa Sarma.

It may be mentioned here that novel coronavirus has slowed down the entire world. Some countries have been locked down, some have closed international borders. Due to lockdown, some positive reports of reduce in pollution levels have also surfaced.

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Globally, 276,472 have been affected by coronavirus. Death toll has reached 11,417 and recovered cases stood at 91,954 as on Saturday. Currently, there are a total of 173,101 active cases.

China, the place of origin, Italy, Spain, Germany, US, Iran, France, and South Korea are the worst-hit nations in the world. India recorded a total of 271 positive cases of novel coronavirus on Saturday, from 250 cases a day earlier.

On Friday night, Uttarakhand's Dehradun reported a confirmed case of the virus and in less than an hour, Madhya Pradesh reported four such cases in Jabalpur city. As the number of positive coronavirus cases have surged across the globe, the Government of India is preparing to facilitate conditions for social distancing with the closure of schools, colleges, movie theatres, malls, parks and other public places.

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