Mumbai: Maharashtra Women and Child Development department minister Advocate Yashomati Thakur today said that apart from the decision taken by the cabinet to deposit a one-time Rs five lakh in the bank accounts of children who have lost both their parents, efforts will be made to rehabilitate such children by making use of other schemes.
Adv Thakur said children who have lost both their parents due to COVID-19 have suffered a massive mental blow. It is imperative to give them motherly support. Given this, the women and child development department is contemplating starting a new scheme for children in the age group of 0-18 years.
She said the state government is going to fulfil its responsibility seriously. Hence by depositing Rs. 5 lakh in the bank accounts of children the amount would be used in their rehabilitation in future.
Thakur said, if the relatives of such children who have become orphan do not come forward to take their care, then they would admit to the government’s child care homes.
“If the relatives of such children are ready to take care then they would be provided benefits of the child care scheme. Under the scheme, the state government has hiked grant by Rs.1100”, she informed.
Besides, an action plan will be drafted to give them skill development training for a permanent income along with mental rehabilitation, she added.
The minister said, so far 141 orphan children were found with the help of a district-level task force. However, she said that there is a possibility that there would be a rise in such orphan children.
It is anticipated that around 200 children have become orphan and an amount of Rs. 5 lakh each will be deposited into their bank accounts.
“The state government has made a provision of Rs. 10 crores to implement this scheme. If more orphan children are found then additional provision would be made”, Thakur said.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray gave its nod to deposit this proposal. This amount will be given to the child after he or she attains the age of 21 years along with the interest.
The decision assumes significance as it will give much-needed support to such children who have become orphan.
Besides, the expense of the child’s upbringing would be borne from the child care scheme of the women and child development department of the state government.
The scheme is similar to the one implemented through PM CARES FUND. The decision further states that if the relatives of such children come forward to take care, then they would be given a grant from the child care fund of the women and child development department.
The amount would be deposited in the joint account of the child and the district women and child development department officer.
The government has constituted district level taskforce and the collectors of respective districts will be the chairperson. The task force has been entrusted with the responsibility of collating the information of children who have become orphan after their parents died due to COVID-19.
