AHMEDABAD: Sunaina Tomar, additional chief secretary, social justice & empowerment, has asked child protection units and NGOs working for child rights to identify children who have lost a parent due to Covid-19. She instructed that such children’s bank accounts be opened.
The state had earlier announced aid to 778 children who have lost both their parents to the pandemic. The children will get Rs 4,000 per month till they turn 21.
“Providing aid of about Rs 2,000 to the kids who have lost one of their parents is currently under consideration of the state government,” said Tomar’s letter, sent on Monday.
“…Please make arrangements to open bank accounts for such kids in the next three days.”
While the exact number of children who will be covered under the schemes is not known, sources said that it could be in hundreds, given the high mortality recorded in April and May this year. Several families had lost their sole breadwinners, they added.
