Bhubaneswar: Over eight lakh kendu leaf workers in Odisha will be benefited with the fresh assistance of Rs 111 crore announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday.
An official source said an all-time record amount of Rs 194 crore has been provided to the kendu leaf workers during 2022 as in the first phase Rs 83 crore had already been deposited directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
The announcement of the government will benefit over eight lakh kendu leaf workers of whom as many as 7.75 lakh are Kendu leaf pluckers, 40,000 binders and the rest are seasonal staff.
Every plucker will now get financial assistance of Rs 1,000, Rs 200 for water bottles and Rs 160 for slippers. Similarly, every binder and seasonal staff will be given assistance of Rs 1,500.
Beneficiaries of all the 22 districts except Jharsuguda from where Kendu leaf is collected will get the assistance. The beneficiaries of Jharsuguda will get assistance after the model code of conduct is lifted.
The model code of conduct is in force in Jharsuguda in view of the by-election to the Jharsuguda Assembly seat scheduled for May 10.
UNI