Bhubaneswar, Jan. 5: The state government today announced welfare schemes for sevayats of the Jagannath temple in Puri to seek their co-operation during the forthcoming Nabakalebar festival.

After a meeting called to review the state's preparedness for the mega event, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the government would set up a model public school in Puri to provide free education to the children of the sevayats.

This will help them acquire knowledge to compete with the best.

'Besides the regular curriculum, the school will also impart Vedic education,' Naveen said.

The government has already identified 10 acres at Matotota in the city for this purpose. Besides, he said, the students would be given scholarships ranging between Rs 100 and Rs 500 per month from Class I to X. Students pursuing technical education will also be given Rs 25,000 as scholarship.

The government also promised to provide houses to those who have neither cultivable nor homestead land. Around five acres has been identified for this purpose. The project will provide low-cost houses to the poor sevayats.

Naveen also announced insurance coverage for 8,900 members of the 1,930 sevayat famiiies. 'The insurance cover will be up to Rs 2 lakh for seven members of a family, for which Rs 60 lakh will be incurred as annual premium,' said an official announcement.

For the convenience of the old and the physically challenged, the government has decided to ferry them in battery-run environment-friendly cars from the parking area to the temple at regular intervals.

Presided by Naveen, the meeting was also attended by officials and representatives of the sevayats. Welcoming the official announcement, senior sevayat Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra said: 'The measures will certainly help the sevayat community.'

Besides, among other preparations for the mega event, the state government has set a target to increase the number of beds in the existing hotels in Puri to 30,000.

Nabakalebar is expected to attract nearly 50 lakh pilgrims to Puri. Keeping this in view, arrangements are being made by the departments concerned to provide sanitation, drinking water, accommodation and ensure smooth flow of traffic.