Nagarkurnool: Government will aid children who lost their parents due to Covid

Nagarkurnool: Children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19 pandemic were given full assurance by Nagarkurnool District Collector that they will receive all necessary help and financial aid in all respects from the government.

While speaking at a programme organised to distribute necessary food and essential items to the children who have lost their one or both parents due to the Covid-19 at the Collector's camp office on Thursday, the Collector assured of full support from the government to the orphaned children and directed the authorities of Women Child Welfare Department collect all the data pertaining to such children and distribute necessary food and other essential commodities needed for their survival.

"Currently we have identified 8 children who have lost both their parents due to Covid-19 in Nagarkurnool district. Another 165 children have lost either one or the other of their parents. Both the State and Central Governments have assured full support for all such children. For those who are above 18 years government will provide a monthly stipend up to the age of 23. After that a lump sum of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to the orphaned children as per the State and Central government's orphan children welfare scheme," informed the district Collector.

Not only financial aid, but the Central government will also provide free education to all those orphan children below 18 years and even will provide interest free loans through MP Cares fund. In addition to this, these children after attaining 18 years of age will be covered under Ayush Man Bharat Health Insurance scheme and will be provided Rs 5 lakh health insurance coverage.

Children who have lost one parent are provided free admission to KGBV, Gurukula schools and details of such children and their guardians are also sought by the Women and Child Welfare department for taking necessary action for their welfare.

As per the data available from the integrated child Development Society (ICDS) authorities, as many as 3 children lost their both parents from Achampet cluster while about 39 children lost one of their parents. In Balmur cluster 21 children lost one or the other of their parents. Under Kalwakurthy ICDS cluster 34 children lost one parent. In Kollapur 42 lost one parent and 6 children lost both parents to the Covid-19 pandemic.