Thursday 16 December, 2010

Welfare schemes for magicians

Thiruvananthapuram: Come the New Year, the Magic Academy will be offering half a dozen of welfare schemes for the magical artistes of Kerala. Important among them are a couple of accident and medical ഇന്‍ഷുറന്‍സ് for free. Also in the list are an award titled, Indrajala Puraskaram; free distribution of magic equipments worth Rs.5000 for financially backward magicians and educational scholarships of Rs.2500 for two-year higher studies for the children of magicians. Pioneers in the insurance and banking business, the State Bank of Travancore and the United Insurance Company are joining hands with the Academy for realising these innovative schemes.
According to the Academy, the new welfare measures are designed to mitigate the difficulties faced by the wonder weavers and their families. The Academy has already instituted district level co-ordinators for effectively implementing these schemes. A list of beneficiaries will be prepared based on the recommendations received by these co-ordinators.
Offered for the first time for magicians, the free medical insurance coverage up to Rs.100000 will be granted for 140 magicians and their close family members across state (10 from each district) based on the annual income certificate issued by the village officer. The magician, his/her spouse, parents and children below the age of 22 will come under the insurance cover. Entire magicians of the state will be brought under the coverage of free accident insurance for Rs.5 lakhs. According to this scheme titled, Union Suraksha, in the event of death or complete paralysis of the insuree due to accident, full amount of insurance will be granted to the nominee. In the case of loss of one of the organs, a sum of Rs.2.5 lakhs will be granted. Premium amounts for the two schemes will be paid by the Magic Academy. Rules and regulations of the supporting institutions namely, the SBT and the United Insurance Company will be applicable during instances of claims. Beneficiaries should possess an account with any of the SBT branches. Specified formats of the applications are available with the SBT branches. Duly filled in application forms with photos should be forwarded through district co-ordinators.
Indrajala Puraskaram is an award comprising of a purse of Rs.10000, citation and memento. This will be conferred to a magician from Kerala who has contributed the most for the gross development and sustenance of the art. Veteran magicians, P.M. Mithra and Junior Mandrake has previously won this title, considered to be the biggest award in the country instituted to magicians by a magicians’ organisation. Entries for the award have to be forwarded through the district co-ordinators of the Academy.
Educational scholarship of Rs.2500 per year for two-year higher studies will be offered to the children of magicians who could secure meritorious results in the 2010 SSLC or equivalent exams. Copy of the relevant mark list attested by a gazetted officer and a certificate from the head of the institution where the candidate currently studies should be forwarded through the coordinator of the district.
Free distribution of magic equipments worth Rs.5000 is meant for financially poor magicians. Selection will be based on the original copies of the annual income certificates issued by village officers.
For forwarding their requests, magicians may contact the following district co-ordinators: Chandrasenan Mithurmala (Thirurvananthapuram), Shaju Kadakkal (Kollam, Pathanamthitta); Rajasekharan Muthukulam(Alappuzha); P.M. Mithra(Kottayam,Idukki); Vaidhar Shah(Ernakulam; M.V. Sarang(Thrissur); Vijayan Kadamkode(Palakkad); Nilambur Pradeep Kumar (Malappuram); Kunhabdulla U.P.(Wayanad); Pradeep Houdino(Kozhikode); Ismail Shah(Kannur); Sudheer Madakath(Kasaragode).

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