Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month to Padma Shri awardees of the state belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS) category, an official release said on Monday.
The decision came after reports surfaced about the struggling of Padma Shri awardee Daitari Naik to make his ends meet, the release said.
71-year-old Naik, popularly known as the ‘Canal Man of Odisha’, was awarded a Padma Shri this year for single-handedly carving a three-kilometre-long canal from a mountain stream in Keonjhar district.
President Kovind presents Padma Shri to Shri Daitari Naik for Social Work. Member of a tribal community in Odisha, he carved out a three-kilometer canal from the Gonasika mountains. This canal now provides water to about 100 acres of land
In a bid to end such difficulties, the release said, the Naveen Patnaik government has decided to extend financial support to such Padma Shri awardees from the economically weaker sections.
According to the release, as many as 84 persons of the state have been conferred with Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour. Among them, 45 persons have passed away. And, some of the awardees are now reeling under poverty.
Prasanta Patnaik