Bhubaneswar: The state government will pay advance social pension for four months to prevent beneficiaries, particularly elderly persons, from contracting coronavirus.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has issued a directive in this regard, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disability Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said on Tuesday.
The advance allowance will be paid in March for the months of April, May, June and July, the minister said.
The government move will benefit around 28 lakh beneficiaries, including elderly persons, widows and physically-challenged persons, under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana. It will also help a similar number of beneficiaries under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) in Odisha, Panda informed.
