Aishwarya Rathore-
Uttar Pradesh government launched a welfare scheme for children who have either lost one or both of their parents due to Covid-19.
The move by the UP government comes a day after the Supreme Court observed that it cannot even imagine how many children in this large country have got orphaned due to the devastating pandemic, and directed the State authorities to immediately identify them and provide relief.
Elaborating about the scheme, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Children who have lost both of their parents to Covid-19, a surviving parent, legal guardian in case the parents have already died earlier, will be included in this scheme. Children, who have lost the earning parent of their family will also be included in the scheme. The State Government is committed to better health, better education and for the bright future of the children.”
The State Government will provide financial support to a child’s guardian under the Uttar Pradesh Mukhyamantri Bal Seva Yojana, while those who do not have anyone to look after them will be sent to children’s homes.
As part of the scheme, the government will provide a monthly financial assistance of 4,000 to a child’s guardian or caretaker till he/she attains adulthood.
Children below ten years of age who do not have any family members will be taken care, by the State government children’s homes. Currently, such houses are functional in Mathura, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Agra and Rampur.
A bench of Justices L N Rao and Aniruddha Bose directed District Administrations to identify the orphans in their areas and upload their data on the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) website by Saturday evening.
The Supreme Court issued the order in response to an appeal submitted by amicus curiae Gaurav Agrawal in an ongoing Suo- moto case, seeking identification of orphaned children owing to Covid-19 or otherwise and providing them immediate relief by the State governments.
The bench said that the State governments must inform it of the position of these children and the steps they have taken to provide them immediate relief.
