Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announces free ration for cardholders during coronavirus lockdown

Nitish Kumar also said that scholarship to students of class I to 12 will be transferred in their accounts by 31 March.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addressing a gathering in Patna | ANI Photo

Patna: In view of the lockdown enforced in urban areas of the state over coronavirus pandemic, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday announced a “package” under which one month ration will be given for free to all the card holders.Three months advance pension will be given immediately to all the beneficiaries of schemes and to differently abled persons, widows and old age over pensioners

Three months advance pension will be given immediately to all the beneficiaries of schemes like Mukhya Mantri Vridhjan Pension, those given to differently abled persons, widows and old age over pensioners, Kumar said.

The amount will be directly transferred in their bank accounts, the chief minister said in an official statement.

He also announced that Rs 1,000 per family will be given to all the ration card holding families of urban local bodies and panchayat of block headquarters witnessing lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The amount will be transferafter to their accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer, he said after a review meeting on coronavirus here.

The meeting was attended by Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, health minister Mangal Paandey, water resources minister Sanjay Kumar Jha, Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and a host of other senior officials of the state government.

The state government had on Sunday enforced lockdown in all district headquarters, sub-divisional headquarters, block headquarters and urban local bodies of the state till March 31, 2020 in order to check break the transmission chain of coronavirus.

The government has kept essential services- like grocery shop, milk, vegetable, medicines etc. out of the order.

The CM further said that scholarship to students (girls and boy) of class I to 12 will be transfered in their accounts by March 31, 2020.

All the doctors and health staff will be given one month of basic salary as incentive, Kumar said.

Kumar appealed to the people of the state to follow advisory issued by the state government on coronavirus pandemic.

The government will be able to tackle the situation only with the help of the people, the CM said.

Bihar reported first death from coronavirus on Sunday while a woman tested positive for COVID-19 the same day.