Thiruvananthapuram: An online portal has been developed for the timely disbursal of assistance from the distress relief fund of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Kerala Minister O R Kelu said on Wednesday.
With the launch of the portal, emergency medical aid and financial assistance will be made available to beneficiaries from marginalised communities in a hassle-free and time-bound manner, he said.
The portal will be officially launched at a function to be held at the Durbar Hall of the state Secretariat, according to a statement.
Stating that the objective of the initiative is to ensure the speedy delivery of aid without beneficiaries having to visit multiple offices or rely on intermediaries, the Kerala Minister for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare said that applications can also be submitted online through Akshaya centres and authorised promoters.
Akshaya Centres are community-based digital service centres in Kerala that provide easy access to government and online services, especially for people who lack internet access or digital skills.
Applicants will be required to upload medical certificates along with caste and income certificates, bank account details, and other relevant documents on the portal.
The status of the application can also be tracked online by beneficiaries.
As per norms, Project Officers can sanction assistance up to Rs 5,000, the Director up to Rs 25,000, and amounts exceeding that limit will be approved by the minister.
The sanctioned amount will be directly credited to the beneficiary's bank account, the statement said.
The platform also facilitates a scheme providing up to Rs 2 lakh to families that have lost their sole breadwinner.
Assistance will be granted upon submission of a Tahsildar's certificate and other required documents.
Families with an annual income below Rs 1 lakh are eligible for the benefits, the statement said, adding that an Aadhaar card, a ration card, and medical bills must be furnished along with the application.
The minister's office said that the Scheduled Caste community already has a similar portal, and the new one is exclusively dedicated to the Scheduled Tribe community.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.