Rehabilitation projects being implemented out of Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund in Tsunami affected States/UTs.  

A range of schemes covering ex-gratia relief, scholarship to children, psycho-social support measures, capital relief to fishermen, and universal health insurance have been launched for Tsunami affected states of Kerela, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, and the Union territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Pondicherry, after detailed consultations with the State Govts. and major NGOs active in these states. This is the largest ever relief initiative underkaken through the PMNRF involving a total expenditure of Rs 900 crore over a ten year period.  The Chief Secretaries of the affected States/UTs have appointed Nodal Officers to coordinate work on these schemes.

     Brief details of the Schemes

• The Prime Minister’s Child Assistance Scheme

Under this scheme, fixed deposits with the monthly income option would be opened in the name of each child for an amount of Rs.51,000/-. The fixed deposit will be co-terminus with the child attaining 18 years of age.  Once the child attains the age of 18 years, the main corpus would be made available to the child for further studies or for self employment. The State Govt. and the Panchayats will be responsible for identifying the beneficiaries. So far, a number of 2197 children have been covered under the scheme and funds to the tune of Rs. 11.20 crore have been placed at the disposal of the concerned State / UT Governments.

• Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Tsunami Affected Children

This scheme is to benefit children whose families have been affected by the tsunami, through loss of life, or livelihood (e.g. loss of boat etc.).  Such children will be given assistance @ Rs.300 per month to defray school-going expenses.  The assistance would be made available directly to the children through their parents/guardians through individual bank accounts to be opened in the name of each beneficiary by the State Government.  This scheme would enable each child to study upto Class X and will cease thereafter.  The scheme would run for 10 years. So far, more than 1.67 lakh children have been covered under the scheme and funds amounting to Rs. 180.73 crore have been placed at the disposal of the concerned State / UT Governments. 

• Pyscho-Social Support

The scheme includes support for social infrastructure and social development, including an Old Age Home in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Kerala, a Sports complex in Car Nicobar, a Trauma Care Centre in Tamil Nadu, Rehabilitation Cente cum Vocational Training Centre for the disabled youth/Medical camps in Andamans, besides Rs. 20 lakh has been released to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation for extending psycho social support to affected persons in Andamans, and  Counseling support/career guidance centers in Kerala. In all cases, the state governments have been advised to make proper arrangements for operations and maintenance and involve NGOs/Civil Society if required. Rs. 25.12 crore have been released under the scheme.

• Universal Health Insurance Scheme

It has been decided to implement a scheme to provide Health Insurance cover for tsunami affected families, to be run for three years.  The scheme covers five family members, including self, spouse, and three dependent children. List of beneficiaries will be prepared by the State Governments concerned and the scheme will be administered by the United India Insurance Company.  The contact person is Shri V. Ramasaamy, General Manager, United India Insurance Company and Shri G.C. Chaturvedi, Joint Secretary, Insurance Division, Ministry of Finance. So far, nearly 3.25 lakh families have been covered under the scheme and Rs. 30.52 crore have been released.

• Support to Fishermen and Loanees affected by the Tsunami

This scheme includes assistance to state government agencies to enable the waiver of principal and interest of loanees who lost their lives in the tsunami and rescheduling of overdue/penal interest for tsunami affected fishermen. Sate Governments will coordinate the scheme and provide further details. So far, Rs. 57.43 crore have been released.

• Ex-gratia @ Rs.1.00 lakh each to the Next of Kin of the deceased due to Tsunami

So far an amount of Rs. 105.97 crore has been directly credited to the accounts of the  Next of Kin of those deceased (10597 in number) due to tsunami. State wise details are given below: -