: Chumki and Archita, daughters of late Chandrachud Sabar, are struggling to live with their widow mother in Bendrabahal village of Khariar block in Nuapada district due to lack of government support for their livelihood. "My husband died of Covid-19 in 2020, but we have not received any support from government," says widow Gunamati.
According to her, Chandrachud was in a temporary medical centre for treatment for a few days and he died two days after being relieved. "He died on the way to the hospital when he was going for a checkup again," she adds.
She further informs that postmortem was done, but she doesn't have any report. The only support she got was Rs 20,000 under NFBS and a monthly sum of Rs 500 as widow pension but nothing as compensation for Covid death, neither any assistance under the Ashirbad scheme, which aims at in-situ rehabilitation of the orphans whose parents die of Covid, for her children.
"It has become difficult to lead the family with a meagre amount of Rs 500. I am unable to meet the school expenses of my two minor daughters,” laments Gunamati.
Her elder daughter Chumki is studying in Class-VIII and younger one Archita is in Class-VI in the village school.
"The children are not willing to go to an orphanage. So, their inclusion under the Ashirbad scheme would be a great help for their sustenance as well as continuation of their schooling," says Sanjay Tiwari of the village.
