Gumla admin to take care of 4 orphaned girls

Gumla: The Gumla district administration on Thursday decided to take care of four minor siblings, including their education and food, after they lost both their parents within a year.
Bhikhnu Mahli (40), a resident of Kulabira village under Sadar block here, died of a prolonged illness at the district hospital a week ago. Mahli’s wife, Sukharmani, had died of thyroid problems a year ago. With Mahli’s death, the couple’s four daughters — Khushboo (12) Pratima (9), Seema Kumari (6) and Saraswati (3) — were orphaned. Their responsibilities were taken up by their poverty-stricken elderly grandmother in the same village.
“With no male members in the family, it was getting difficult for the old woman to feed the kids. They could have become easy targets for human traffickers,” Vakil Sahu, a local, said.
when their plight went viral on social media and eventually into local news outlets, the deputy commissioner took cognisance and met them in Gumla on Thursday evening. He made their Adhaar cards and directed the district social welfare officer to enrol Khushboo and Pratima in a school.
"The eldest child has been admitted to the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalaya ( KGBV) in Gumla town in Class VI and the second (who can't be admitted in the KGBV because she is young) will also reside along with her eldest sister in the residential school but will be admitted to the Government Girls’ Middle School located beside the KGBV,” DSWO Pratima Kumari said.
“The remaining two daughters will live with their aunt in the village. Their ration cards have been made and they will get monthly 35 kg foodgrain. The three younger sisters will be brought under the government sponsorship scheme for three years and will get Rs 2,000 a month. The sponsorships will be extended after three years,” the DC said, adding that the well-being of the girls will be monitored by the district child line.