Ranchi: A total of 16 students who lost both or either parent to the Covid-19 pandemic have been given benefits under various government schemes meant for them.
The children received the benefits after the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Ranchi, produced the cases of such 100 children before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to declare them as children in need of care and protection.
The DLSA was working for the children under the project named “Shishu” started by its parent organisation, the Jharkhand State Legal Service Authority (JHALSA), to identify children who lost their parents to the deadly virus.
Many persons from rural areas having Covid symptoms died even before they get tested, leaving their children to fend for themselves.
The DLSA is now enrolling all such children, who lost either mother or father or both during the pandemic, to provide benefits to them.
During its ongoing survey, the DLSA identified 130 children and produced the cases of 100 children first before the CWC.
DLSA secretary Abhishek Kumar said, “Out of the 100 children produced before the CWC, 16 have been benefitted under the sponsorship scheme.
The children will now live with their close relatives who would be provided Rs 2,000 per month each for a child’s upbringing.” Kumar also said all eligible children have been recommended for admission to the Kasturba Residential school.
He informed that all remaining children would be aided according to their eligibility under the appropriate government schemes.
In addition, a survey is being carried out to ascertain whether the children’s family is getting benefits under any of the existing government schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and the pension schemes.
Kumar said, “The DLSA in coordination with the district administration is trying to ensure that at least one member of the family gets the assistance of government scheme immediately.” It may be stated that JHALSA executive chairman Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh had personally visited a family at Salgadih-Lohratoli village in Tamar area of Ranchi recently to provide relief to orphaned children.