As many as 54 children orphaned by Covid-19 have been included in the Ashirbad scheme in Jagatsinghpur district and given monthly financial assistance.
District Collector SK Mohapatra on Monday held a review with CDPO, DSPO and Child Welfare Committee [CWC] of the progress of the scheme implementation in the district and its bottlenecks.
As many as 516 applications had been received for seeking benefits under the Ashirbad scheme till July 31, out of which 54 parentless children were identified after verification in the district and other applications were underway for scrutiny.
Out of 54 recognized orphaned, 11 each were reported in Jagatsinghpur and Balikuda blocks followed by eight each from Tirtol and Raghunathpur, five from Biridi, four each from Kujanga and Naugaon, and three from Erasama.According to the scheme, the State Government will transfer a monthly sum of Rs 2,500 to the bank accounts of caregivers who take responsibility of the children till they attain 18 years or till their adoption by others.
A child who has lost one of the parents and continues to live with the remaining parent will get Rs 1,500 per month till the child attains the age of 18 years.
The mother of the child will be provided a widow pension and other social benefits schemes accordingly. The CWC in coordination with Revenue officials and police shall take steps for protection of assents and properties of such orphaned children. Moreover, the CWC will look after a continuance of education of such children in schools in which they were studying before death of their parents and monitor activities of caregivers, the Collector revealed.