GUWAHATI: The Assam government has released the first installment among 21 residents of the state who are stranded abroad and unable to return home owing to the global shutdown following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Announcing this before reporters here on Saturday, Assam finance and health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a sum of Rs 15, 84, 870 has so far been released among 21 residents of the state who are still stranded in various countries.
“Each of them have been given $1,000 in the first installment while the second installment would be subsequently released depending on their duration of stay overseas,” Sarma said.
The state government had last month decided to transfer $2,000 to residents of the state who had gone abroad in the past 30 days but stranded in the wake of the global shutdown following the virus outbreak.
The financial assistance is not for non-resident Indians or people who have been working or studying for a substantial period of time and have houses or hostels to stay in.