Nitish Kumar announces scheme for children who lost parents to Covid-19
The Janata Dal (United) chief also announced in another tweet that children orphaned due to Covid-19 and who have no legal guardian to take care of them will be sent to children’s homes.
The Bihar government will financially support children, who have lost their parents to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), under the child assistance programme, chief minister Nitish Kumar announced on Sunday. “Children, both of whose parents have died, and at least one has died from corona, will be given ₹1500 per month by the state government till the age of 18 under the 'Children's Assistance Scheme’,” Kumar tweeted in Hindi.
The Janata Dal (United) chief also announced in another tweet that children orphaned due to Covid-19 and who have no legal guardian to take care of them will be sent to children’s homes. He said girls will be enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi girls’ residential school, a secondary school run by the government of India to educate girls from socio-economically marginalised families, on priority.
The states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and others have also announced similar assistance programs for children affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Centre also announced on Saturday that children who have lost parents, a surviving parent, legal guardians, or adoptive parents will be provided with financial assistance under the PM CARES for Children scheme.
Covid-19 cases in Bihar are showing a declining trend with just 1,491 people testing positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. Official figures suggest 5,052 people have lost their lives to the viral disease in the state.