CM launches scheme for kids orphaned by Covid
Govt aims to ensure that nobody takes orphaned children’s properties till they become adults
DEHRADUN: Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday launched Vatsalya Programme to help children who lost both their parents or the bread earning parent to the Covid-19 and . He also promised to take care of orphaned children like a “mama” (maternal uncle).
Dhami launched the scheme by handing out ₹3,000 each to the beneficiary children at an even held at the CM house in Dehradun in presence of women and child development minister Rekha Arya and servicemen welfare minister Ganesh Joshi.
Under the programme, the state government will assist the children, who lost their parents to the Covid-19 pandemic between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, by providing them maintenance amount of ₹3,000 per month till they attain the age of 21.
Apart from this, they will be provided with free education and ration.
The government will also ensure that nobody takes their paternal properties till they become adults.
Launching the programme, Dhami said, “It is impossible to take the place of the parents of these children but the government will take care of them like a guardian while the respective district magistrates as their co-guardian.”
The government, under the programme, had identified 2,347 children from across the state of which 1,062 were given the benefit of the programme in the first phase. Dhami on Monday transferred an amount of ₹3,000 each to the bank accounts of the 1,062 beneficiary children.
Emphasising on the importance of the programme, Dhami said the government has feelings of “love, affection and responsibility towards these children.”
“This is probably the first government programme in which we don’t want the number of beneficiaries to increase and remain the same as what is today. No other child should lose his/her parents as it is unbearable pain. I will take care of all these children like their Mama. I am also sure that these children will become the identity of the state with their achievements in the future,” said Dhami.
During the event, minister Arya said apart from providing a maintenance amount of ₹3,000 each month to the beneficiaries, the government has “also declared a reservation of 5% in all the state government jobs which is the first in country. We will ensure that these children don’t face any problems in their education and food”.
I will take care of all these children like their ‘Mama’. I am sure that these children will one day become the state’s identity PUSHKAR SINGH DHAMI, chief minister