Different communities attach spiritual and emotional significance to the last rites performed for the demised ones. These last rites are not only performed to homage to the departed soul but also to comfort the family members suffering from grief. However, the expenditure involved in such the last rite is huge that economically backward families sometimes find them unaffordable. Keeping this in view, many State governments in India have introduced the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana to provide financial support for cremation and burial services. The paper discusses the ‘Harischandra Yojana Online Apply’ scheme inside out, step-by-step online application procedures, and involvement in ensuring dignity at the last rites.
Harischandra Sahayata Yojana
Death is the ultimate truth of life. Still, it is an expensive affair for the last rites of a relative in poor families. Keeping this view in mind, the state government of Odisha introduced the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana in August 2013, to share the financial burden incurred by low-income groups and destitute for performing the last rites of their near and dear ones. Harichandra Sahayata Yojana, named after legendary king Harichandra, aims to provide dignity to low-income families by allowing them to bury their loved ones.
Aims of the Scheme
- Financial aid: Mainly aims at giving money to families to carry out cremation or burial services.
- Insuring Dignity: Financial pressure being reduced, the scheme ensures that the last rites are performed wrt. and by families, therefore not compromising their dignity.
- Social Support: This would work as a social security scheme for the poor so that no family has to be deprived of the opportunity to do proper last rites due to financial constraints.
Unique Features of Harischandra Sahayata Yojana
- Differentiated Amounts: The Yojana stays sensitive to possibly higher costs in urban areas by offering ₹2,000 to families in rural areas and ₹3,000 in urban areas.
- Focus on the Needy: Destitute families who are not in a stable financial position to perform the last rites of their near and dear ones will be the main beneficiaries of this project.
- Unclaimed Dead Bodies: The Yojana stretches its help to unclaimed dead bodies also, meaning thereby, without family and those with no penny for cremation.
- Revolving Fund: To smoothen the activities at the local level, a revolving fund of Rs.15,000 is made available to each Gram Panchayat.
- Financial Assistance: The Scheme envisages Financial Assistance to eligible families for meeting the expenses related to cremation or other last rites.
- Harischandra Yojana online apply: The scheme, through an online portal, makes facilitated applications hassle-free and more helpful to beneficiaries in availing of the assistance.
Adequacy for Harischchandra Sahayata Yojana
It means helping out economically weaker families who can’t afford to give a decent final rite to their deceased family members. However, some eligibility criteria may sometimes change, roughly the following shall be the scheme:
- Domicile: Applicant is a resident of Odisha.
- Income level: The Income slab of the family falls below the poverty line as set by the government.
- Deceased Relationship: The deceased must have been a close family member to the applicant; spouse, parent, child, etc.
- Unclaimed Bodies: The scheme can be availed for performing the last rites of unclaimed dead bodies.
Harischandra Yojana Online Apply: A Step-by-Step Guide
For digital governance, the application process for Harischandra Sahayata Yojana has become simpler. Below is a step-by-step process through which you may apply for online relief.
- Step 1: Descend on Official Website
First, log into the website of the state government that is offering the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana. This is very important because each state may have a different portal.
- Step 2: Sign Up
Sign up or register on the website by finding the option. In such a case, you are supposed to log into your account if it is your first time as a user. It simply means providing basic details like your name, mobile number, and email address.
- Step 3: Fill up the Application Form
After registration, login, and download the form for Harischandra Sahayata Yojana. Fill in all the details correctly. This generally includes details of the deceased, the relationship of the applicant with the deceased, and financial details.
- Step 4: The student will upload the required documents.
You will also need to upload scanned documents that could be required. This may include:
- Death certificate of the deceased
- Proof of Applicant’s Identity and Residence
- Proof to show source of income for eligibility determination.
- Bank information for direct transfers
- Step 5: Application Submission
After filling in all the details, and uploading all necessary documents, cross-check the application as per one’s information. Verify and submit it.
- Step 6: Check Application Status
In most cases, the status of the application can be tracked through online portals. This, in a way, again helps to keep a check on how your application is being treated and if there are further steps required from your side.
Harischandra Sahayata Yojana Consequence
The Harischandra Sahayata Yojana has made a difference in numerous families all over India by accepting contributions for conducting last rites with dignity, irrespective of the financial situation of the family.
- Social Outcomes
- Dignity in Death: Ensuring that the last rites of a loved one are conducted respectfully and honorably by even the poorest of families.
- Social Equity: By providing monetary aid to the most indigent persons, so as not to allow any person, whatever the situation and whatsoever the faith, to be deprived of performing the last rites due to lack of funds.
- Emotional Support: The scheme reduces this burden and hence provides much-needed emotional support to the bereaved family to concentrate on rituals and the period of mourning.
- Financial Consequences
- Financial Relief: The financial support, that the scheme offers, relieves the immediate financial stress of the family that encounters the loss.
- Accessibility: This scheme will be easily accessible to people at large through its online application procedure so that assistance reaches needy citizens without loss of time.
- Cultural Outcomes
- Preservation of Traditions: The scheme preserves cultural and religious traditions by making sure that financial constraints do not hamper the performance of the last rites.
- Community Support: It develops a sense of community support and comparative support because most of the time, this scheme is employed with the help of the local authorities and volunteers.
Obstacles
- Awareness: Very few eligible families know about the scheme and the process of availing it.
- Documentation: Procuring the stipulated documents, more so for the marginalized sections, is a mammoth task.
- Implementation: The efficiency of the scheme’s implementation differs from state to state, and impacts its reach and effect.
Recommendations
- Create More Awareness: Spread the scheme in rural and remote areas—a bigger initiative for awareness. Local media, community meetings, and social workers be used for the purpose.
- Simple Process: The simplification of the documentation process, with help available regarding the filling out applications, can further include more families in the scheme.
- Monitoring: It should provide for regular monitoring and feedback mechanisms institutionalized to ensure that the scheme is working effectively towards achieving its goals and intended beneficiaries
Summary.
“In terms of compassion and support, Harischandra Sahayata Yojana has been given financial assistance regarding last rites so that no one can receive last rites with respect and dignity. This did not make any discrimination based on an economic criterion. The process is more accessible with an online application provision under the Harischandra Yojana, allowing more families to avail themselves of its benefits. It may go on to touch even more lives, providing solace and support in one’s most vulnerable times, if further enhancements of awareness and improvement in implementation are made.”
FAQ’s
Q- What is the Harishchandra Sahayata Yojana?
Ans: The Harischandra Sahayata Yojana is a government scheme that offers economic support to the economically backward classes for the last rites of deceased ones like cremation or burial. This plan has been named after the legendary King Harischandra, who ensured families could conduct the last rites of their near and dear ones with respect, totally independent of any financial position.
Q- How much is the grant of financial assistance sanctioned under the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana?
Ans: Amount under Harischandra Sahayata Yojana: Here, the amount of assistance varies in different states. In most cases, the amount was decided to meet the minimum expenditure of cremation or burial. The exact amount has to be checked in the concerned state government guidelines.
Q- What if my application gets rejected?
Ans: If your application under the Harischandra Sahayata Yojana is rejected, then, firstly, you shall understand the reasons for such rejections. Normally, information shall be conveyed along with the rejection notice in this regard. If the problem is rectifiable: like incomplete documents or wrong information, you can apply again after rectifying such deficiencies. You may contact the helpline number or visit the local office dealing with the scheme for further help.
Q- Who is eligible to get assistance under Harischandra Sahayata Yojana?
Ans: Basically, the scheme is aimed at economically weaker sections, mainly BPL families. However, exact eligibility may differ from state to state. Economically incapable families for bearing the expenses of last rites may apply for the same.
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