Gujarat govt disburses financial assistance to over 700 children orphaned due to COVID-19

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat government on Wednesday disbursed a monthly financial assistance of Rs 4,000 each to more than 700 children who have lost both their parents to COVID-19 infection in the state, an official said on Wednesday.

At least 776 children, who have lost both parents to the disease, received the first monthly installment of Rs 4,000 each under the Bal Seva Yojna, a state government scheme of providing monthly assistance to 'Covid Orphans', the official said. The state government had announced the scheme on May 31 with an aim to provide monthly financial assistance to children under the age of 18 who have lost both their parents to coronavirus.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani attended a virtual function of depositing Rs 4,000 each in the bank accounts of 776 children, who have been identified as beneficiaries, a release stated, adding that a total sum of Rs 31.04 lakh was deposited during the day.

As per the release, Rajkot district has registered 58 such children, the highest in the state, followed by Ahmedabad with 42, Sabarkantha with 36, Vadodara with 32 and 30 each in Panchmahal and Navari districts. If these children continue their studies after the age of 18, they will get an assistance of Rs 6,000 per month till they turn 21, and the assistance will continue till they attain the age of 24 if they opt for higher studies, the release said.

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