THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has paved the way for everyone to celebrate Onam without any shortcomings even in the face of severe financial crisis. The Onam market has been active in the state for the past one week as government aid, including arrears, has been received. There was a huge rush at the Onam markets of the Co-operative Department, Civil Supplies Corporation, Horticorp and Kudumbashree. The goods are relatively cheaper.

The state government had sought a special package from the Centre for onam expenses and a relaxation in the loan limit, but it was not received. However, on the complaint filed by Kerala in connection with fixing the loan limit, a special committee of the Union Finance Ministry took an interim decision and sanctioned a loan of Rs 4,200 crore. Along with this, Rs 4,500 crore as tax revenue could also be collected. Benefits, including arrears, could be given to all sections of people before Onam because of this.

A bonus of Rs 4,000 was given to government employees, Rs 2,750 as festival allowance to those who do not have a bonus, Rs 20,000 as Onam advance to all employees, Rs 1,000 allowance to pensioners and Rs 6,000 as Onam advance to part-time contingent employees. Rs 3,200 was given to 62 lakh social security pensioners, pension to all welfare board members, Rs 3,000 assakiranam assistance to 1.5 lakh members and Rs 1,000 onam festival allowance to harithakarma sena members. Rs 1,000 has been sanctioned as Onam festival allowance to 5.69 lakh urban and rural MGNREGA workers who have completed 100 working days in a year.

A sum of Rs 56.91 crore was given for this purpose. Rs 19 crore was given to the workers of coir mats and mattings groups, form mattings india, state coir corporation and Coirfed for onam benefits. An amount of Rs 2.15 crore has been sanctioned for onam ex-gratia of Rs 2,000 each to 10,732 workers of closed private coir industry co-operative societies. An amount of Rs 19.81 crore has been sanctioned to pay the salaries of around 9,000 national savings scheme agents. Rs 10 crore was given to coir workers for bonus, Rs 30 crore for disbursement of wages to handloom workers and Rs 87.13 crore for onam benefits to Anganwadi workers. Thus, the government has provided assistance in all sectors.