Uttar Pradesh / UP govt launches welfare scheme for children who lost their parents to COVID-19

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced a welfare scheme for children who have either lost both of their parents or the earning parent to Covid-19.

Under the scheme, known as the Uttar Pradesh Mukhyamantri Bal Sewa Yojana, every such child of 18 years and below in the state will get financial assistance of ₹4,000 per month till they become adults or turn self-reliant. The assistance will go to the caretaker of the children to ensure they are looked after.

Elaborating about the scheme, 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 also provide tablets or laptops to all such children studying in schools, colleges or pursuing vocational education.

The government will provide financial assistance of ₹1,01,000 for the marriage of girls under the scheme.

Orphans aged between two and 10 years, who do not have any guardian or extended family to take care of them, will be rehabilitated in five Rajkiya Bal Grah (children’s shelter homes) across the state. There are five such children’s shelter homes in Mathura, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Agra and Rampur.

“The state cabinet will pass the scheme on Monday in which further details will be clear,” said an official of the women and child development department.

The state government has also made a separate provision for taking care of minor girls.

All such orphaned girls will be rehabilitated in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (residential) run by the Centre. In addition, the government will also try to rehabilitate them in 13 girls’ shelter homes run by the state government.

If required, the state government could also rehabilitate girls in any of the 18 Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas (Atal Residential Schools) which are being set up across the state.

After getting reports of a large number of children being orphaned due to the pandemic, the state government decided to frame a rehabilitation policy for them.

The women and child development department of the state government has been tasked with identifying such children.

The department has asked district magistrates to take the help of village child protection committees headed by gram pradhans in preparing this list.

Child Line (1098), special juvenile police units, district child protection units and nigrani samitis (monitoring committees) in the rural and urban areas are also assisting the district magistrates in the task.

The department of women and child development has also asked officials to take adequate steps to prevent child marriages, child trafficking and act if any such incident is reported.