Delhi government to identify children orphaned during pandemic through survey
The Women and Child Development (WCD) Department of the Delhi government will soon undertake a survey to identify children who have been orphaned during the coronavirus pandemic. The department has appointed 20 welfare officers to conduct the survey in different childcare homes, institutions, and district offices in the national capital. Here are more details.
Delhi government to offer Rs. 2,500/month for these orphaned children
Notably, the officers have been attached with child welfare committees and district child protection units to conduct the survey by July 20. The Delhi government has planned to give a compensation of Rs. 2,500 per month to children who have lost their parents to COVID-19.
Over 2,000 children have lost their parents since pandemic began
Over 2,000 children in Delhi have lost either one or both their parents to the coronavirus infection, with 67 of them losing both their parents, since the pandemic outbreak in March last year, according to the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights' (DCPCR) survey. At least 651 children have lost their mothers and 1,311 children lost their fathers to the infection, it stated.
Details of orphaned children shared with WCD Department: DCPCR
The DCPCR had said the details of these children have been shared with the WCD Department for necessary action on its part and ensuring enrolling eligible beneficiaries in schemes notified by the Delhi government for children who have lost their parents due to COVID-19.
PM Modi announced welfare measures for such children last month
To recall, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had on May 14 said his government would bear the cost of education and upbringing of the children orphaned during the pandemic. Also, PM Narendra Modi had last month announced a number of welfare measures for such children, including ensuring a corpus of Rs. 10 lakh when they turn 23 years of age and providing for their education.
Delhi government has framed policy for welfare of street children
Notably, the Delhi government recently also formulated a policy for the welfare of street children in view of the pandemic situation which stresses the role of various stakeholders in promoting COVID-19-appropriate behavior and generating awareness about the infection among such children.
