Parvarish scheme: 145 children orphaned by Covid identified in Chandigarh

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 17

The UT Administration has identified 145 Covid orphaned children till now under the “Parvarish” scheme and disbursed Rs51 lakh for the welfare of these children.

About the scheme

The “Parvarish” scheme aims at ensuring holistic development of children to provide an additional and comprehensive support for their well-being. These include Covid-19 orphaned children or children who have lost one parent due to Covid and the surviving parent has surrendered the child, Covid orphaned children who are living with guardians/extended families, children who have lost one parent to Covid and are living with surviving parent/extended family and Covid positive children.

Out of these 145 Covid orphaned children, 12 are living with guardians or extended families, while 133 have lost one parent and are living with the surviving parent.

There are two more children, both siblings, who lost one parent to Covid and the surviving parent had given up the children. They have been placed in the Specialised Adoption Agency - “Aashiana” - and will be rehabilitated through adoption as per the guidelines of the Central Adoption Regulatory authority.

A total of 182 children have been identified by the District Child Protection Unit as beneficiaries after due approval of the Child Welfare Committee, Chandigarh, under different categories of the “Parvarish” scheme wherein funds of Rs51 lakh had been disbursed by the District Child Protection Unit, Chandigarh, to 145 children and cases of 35 beneficiaries are under process for providing them with the benefits under the scheme.

The “Parvarish” scheme aims at ensuring holistic development of children to provide an additional and comprehensive support for their well-being. These include Covid-19 orphaned children or children who have lost one parent due to Covid and the surviving parent has surrendered the child, Covid orphaned children who are living with guardians/extended families, children who have lost one parent to Covid and are living with surviving parent/extended family and Covid positive children.

The scheme also provides free education in government-run schools of Chandigarh. In cases where children are studying in private schools from Classes I to VIII, then the annual financial support for educational purposes is provided to each child as per the prevailing amount reimbursed by the Department of Education per child per month under the EWS quota.

Besides, monthly financial support of Rs5,000 in order to meet the nutritional and recreational needs of children till the age of 18 years is also given.

Cases of 12 Covid orphaned children, who lost both their parents, had also been approved by the Deputy Commissioner on the PM Cares for Children portal.

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