154 children orphaned due to COVID in State
WD&CW Dept. assures to deal with them
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has left 154 children orphaned throughout the State, officers of the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department mentioned.
The officers at the moment are engaged in gathering the main points of the children who’ve misplaced each their dad and mom to the dreaded virus in all of the districts.
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the villagers have been requested to assist the WD&CW personnel in figuring out and passing on details about the orphaned children and supply them safety, the kid growth and safety officers mentioned.
“We gathered information through Anganwadi teachers, NGOs and villagers. According to our information, 154 minor children have lost both their parents to COVID-19 in the State,” mentioned WD&CW Director Kritika Shukla.
Till date, the variety of orphans recognized in every district are 24 in Anantapur district, 18 in West Godavari, 16 in Visakhapatnam, 14 in Guntur and 12 every in Nellore and East Godavari districts. Ten children every in Kadapa, Krishna, Prakasam and Kurnool districts had been orphaned due to COVID, the Director mentioned.
“It is very sad that the children were deprived of their parents’ love. Following the directions of the Supreme Court and the Centre, ₹10 lakh has been fixed (as ex gratia) for all eligible orphans in the State. The WD&CW Department will take care of the children,” Ms. Kritika mentioned.
The native Anganwadi trainer or employee and Women Protection Secretary will establish the orphans, which must be authorised by the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) involved of the WD&CW Department.
The native Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) and the CDPO ought to monitor the kid in availing month-to-month curiosity of the mounted quantity and the beneficiary is entitled to take the cash after attaining 25 years of age, the Director mentioned.
Regular monitoring
“In many cases, the children have lost both their parents within days of each other. After conducting the social and home study report, the children will be admitted to Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayams (KGBVs), if no guardian is willing to take care of the children,” mentioned Krishna District Child Protection Officer Ch. Vijay Kumar.
“Instructions have been given to the WD&CW Project Directors, CDPOs, Anganwadi supervisers, teachers and Women Protection Secretaries to send the particulars of orphans and semi-orphan children (whose parents died due to COVID) at the village-level in each district every day,” the WD&CW Director advised The Puucho on Tuesday.
“We will monitor the care and protection of children, even if the child is being taken care by his/her family members (guardians). The government is taking all steps to provide quality education and take care of their future,” Ms. Kritika mentioned.