SC directs states to provide relief to children orphaned due to COVID

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Friday took note of children who have become orphans due to the COVID-19 pandemic and directed states to provide immediate relief to them.

A vacation bench of Justices L N Rao and Aniruddha Bose directed district administrations to identify orphan children and upload their data on the NCPCR website by Saturday evening.

The top court’s direction came on an application filed by amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwal seeking identification of orphaned children and providing them immediate relief by the state governments.

Earlier on Tuesday, women and child development minister Smriti Irani said that as many as 577 children across the country were orphaned after their parents succumbed to COVID-19. The data was compiled from reports of states and union territories from April 1 till Tuesday. She also said the Centre is committed to support and protect every vulnerable child.

Indian National Congress president Sonia Gandhi also wrote to prime minister Narendra Modi to provide free education to children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also suggested using Navodaya Vidhyalayas for providing the free of cost education to COVID orphans.

Support from states

On Thursday, the Maharashtra education minister sent a proposal to the chief minister to provide free education to children who have lost their parents during the pandemic.

Covid-19 pandemic has caused havoc all around. It has been particularly devastating for children who have lost their parents to the dreaded virus. I have submitted a proposal to Hon. @CMOMaharashtra that the state govt should bear cost of education of such students.@OfficeofUT

— Varsha Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) May 27, 2021

Kerala Government, too, has extended financial assistance to such children. As per a special package scheme. the state will provide Rs 3 lakh as immediate relief and Rs 2,000 every month. The state will also provide free education to COVID orphans up to graduation.

The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh also announced the disbursal of a bank bond of Rs 10 lakh for every child who lost their parents. A fixed deposit has been created on each child's name and it will remain in banks till they turn 25. The interest can be withdrawn every three months to for education and other expenses, The Times of India reported.

(With inputs from PTI)