Parvarish Scheme: 92 children who lost a parent to Covid yet to receive financial assistance

At least 92 children who lost one of their parents to Covid-19 between March 2020 to July 2021, are yet to receive financial assistance under the Parvarish scheme, a special initiative for the care and security of children affected by Covid-19.

The scheme was introduced on the directions of MHA in the early days of this month. The scheme promises assistance of Rs 5,000 per month to each child. Four orphan siblings have received Rs 15,000 each for three months. The money was released in their bank accounts.

Talking to The Indian Express, families of four other children, who had lost their parent in the pandemic, maintained that staff members from the UT Social Welfare Department had approached them to prepare certain documents but they were not contacted again.

“My husband died due to Covid-19 in January this year at PGI. I have a daughter studying in class X in a local government school. A man from the social welfare department visited me and collected certain documents and told me to arrange a bank account in the name of my daughter. We opened the account. We have called the man twice but there is no response from his side,” said the mother of a 15-year-old girl from Khuda Ali Sher village.

“My wife died due to Covid at PGI this year. My two children, a boy and a girl, both study in class 12 at a government local school. Some government employees collected information from me, but there has been no word about the financial assistance from their side,” said a widower from Mori Gate in Mani Majra.

“We have released the funds for three months to four orphan siblings. They belong to a very poor family. The surrendered twin sisters are in our care. The amount will be released in their accounts shortly. The issue related to 92 children, who lost one parent due to Covid-19, is under consideration. We have received financial aid/assistance from the UT finance department to some extent. As the Parvarish scheme was notified a few days before, we are yet to get clarity on some points,” said SDM Harjeet Singh Sandhu, who is supervising the Parvarish scheme.

“Before the formulation of Parvarish scheme, Covid-19 assistance of Rs 2,000 was issued to at least 61 children, who lost their single parents due to Covid. The Parvarish scheme was notified on July 12. We are still in the process of collection of data from the authorities concerned. Indeed, completely orphaned and surrendered children are our priorities. Children, who lost one parent, will also be provided financial assistance as it was mentioned in the notification. The administration has fixed Rs 5 lakh annual income for the assistance of children, who one parent due to the infection,” said an officer with District Child Protection Team.