Artistes to get 4-month advance pension for COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday said it would provide advance pension of four months to 34,653 artistes under the Mukhyamantri Kalakar Sahayata Yojana in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

The artistes will receive pension for the months starting from March 2020 to June 2020. The Culture department has issued an allocation letter of Rs 16.73 crore in this regard.

The government has directed the district collectors to release four-month advance pension to the bank accounts of the artistes through e-transfer by April 15.

An artiste gets monthly pension of Rs 1200.

All district collectors have been directed to transfer 4 months advance pension amounting to Rs 4800 to the respective bank accounts.

The artistes have also been exempted from submitting the Life Certificate which was to be done in March.