Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday unveiled a welfare scheme aimed at easing the distress of families who lose their loved ones outside the state.
Named Shraddhanjali, the initiative seeks to ensure the dignified return of mortal remains to bereaved families. “The 'Shraddhanjali' scheme is an initiative to ensure the dignified return of the bodies of those who died outside the state to their family members,'' Sarma said at the launch in Guwahati.
The scheme will be implemented by the Home and Political Department in coordination with Assam Police. It will cover citizens of limited means whose families cannot afford the costs of transportation. “Financially well-off families or those who are capable of making their own arrangements” will not be eligible, the chief minister clarified.
Those travelling outside Assam for medical treatment will also not be covered, a condition meant to avoid overlaps with existing health support programmes.
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Several states, including Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have introduced similar measures in recent years, extending logistical and financial assistance to bring home the mortal remains of residents who die abroad or outside their home states. Welfare schemes of this nature have proved particularly significant for migrant workers, students, and labourers whose families face daunting expenses in times of grief.
Sarma stressed that Shraddhanjali was conceived to respond to longstanding public appeals. By institutionalising state support, the government hopes to alleviate both financial burdens and the indignity of delays in repatriation.
The chief minister described the initiative as an expression of respect for human life and death, adding that the government’s intent was not only administrative but also moral.
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