By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, May 8: The exile Tibetan government known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration on Thursday announced ‘Covid-19 emergency support fund’ of 50 lakh rupees for Tibetans in distress across India and Nepal.
“The distress relief fund is to support those Tibetans who are stranded outside their settlements and those who have lost their jobs and cannot afford rents in cities and major towns in India and Nepal,” the CTA President Dr.Lobsang Sangay said yesterday during a live briefing online. 1000 Tibetans in distress will be provided 5000 rupees each through the COVID-19 emergency support fund.
The head of the Tibetan polity also said that persistent efforts are being made in coordination with relevant authorities to bring back some 83 students and 50 odd Tibetans that are stranded across cities, towns and educational institutions in India. The logistical efforts are made as New Delhi has permitted lax on the otherwise strict interstate travel ban within the country.
Last week Dr. Sangay said that his presidency has never neglected the poor and destitute whether it was in regards to livelihood, health or education, as he revealed that close to 10 crore rupees is spent annually for the old and destitute Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal, as well as nearly 5 crore rupees to students in the education sector in scholarships annually.
The announcement for financial assistance specific to the Covid-19 pandemic comes days after the administration hit back against criticism over the lack of support during the pandemic, to those from poorer economic background. Dr. Sangay said that since mid-April, 1000 Tibetans as well as those in the ‘below poverty line’ (BPL) list were distributed dry and packages of Rs 2000 to 297 students in BPL category and Rs 5000 relief for 200 college students were dispensed by the administration.
However, more concrete measures such as the Covid-19 emergency fund for stranded Tibetans are being implemented only in May as the Indian government extended the nation-wide lockdown, for the third time until May 17. The administration will provide assistance to Tibetan sweater sellers in the coming days, the President said.
The Covid-19 death toll in India rose to 1,886 and the number of confirmed cases climbed to 56,342 in the country as of Friday, registering an increase of 103 deaths and 3,390 cases in the last 24 hours, sources said. Fears over jump in community transmission loom as India is set to open the country later this month after close to two-month of nationwide lockdown.
