Survey by DCW throws light on Covid widows

NEW DELHI:  As many as 791 women from Delhi were identified to have lost their husbands to Covid-19, according to a report by the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) Mahila Panchayat.  The DCW team conducted a detailed survey with an aim to rehabilitate them. 

According to the survey, 774 out of the 791 women, who accounts for 97.85 per cent, have at least one child while a total of 360 women have three to five children and 30 have more than five children. 

A total of 734 identified women were in the age bracket of 18-60 years and others were senior citizens, the data revealed. The survey further showed that out of these women, 721 were housewives and the remaining 70 worked as domestic workers, labourers, small business owners and government employees. Moreover, 60 per cent of them had a monthly income of less than Rs 15,000 while 28.75 per cent had no source of income. 

The DCW survey also found that only 197 women were vaccinated. DCW has recommended the Delhi government to issue an order to district magistrates (DM) to get all these women vaccinated.  “DCW is continuing its social survey to identify more woman who lost their husbands to Covid. The main objective behind this survey is to help these woman get benefits from the government scheme  Mukhyamantri Arthik Parivar Yojana,” said Swati Maliwal, DCW chief.

 Meanwhile, as per an RTI reply received by advocate Mohit Kumar Gupta on July 1, 5,640 children in the city became orphans due to Covid and 273 kids lost at least one parent to the virus. The data was compiled as per the details provided by the District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs), Child Welfare Committee (CWCs) and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) field functionaries.

CM's aid scheme for those hit by virus
The city government has rolled out the Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana under which an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 will be provided to those who have lost a family member to coronavirus