With the second wave of Covid 19 still wreaking havoc, India stands at the second spot among the countries which have been severely affected by the disease. During this period around 3.83 lakh deaths have been recorded due to which many families have broken. Children becoming orphans, families going below poverty are all parts of the bigger picture of destruction caused by coronavirus.
The district administration of Sundargarh in Odisha, following the Supreme Court’s direction, has started the process of identifying children who became orphaned after their parents fell to the deadly virus. Not only this, but the administration here headed by District Collector Mr. Nikhil Pavan Kalyan is also providing financial support to other distressed families.
PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE ORPHANS
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Nikhil Kalyan said “We have Child Care Institutes (CCI) where single parent children or children who have guardians are generally kept. After the second wave of Covid 19 their families have again been hit. All the data regarding the Covid 19 deaths in the district are sent to the District Child Protection Officer. To identify such children in the CCI, who have lost their entire family during the pandemic, the data shared to the officer is checked and scrutinized. We have taken special protective measures for such children and have ensured that they are taken care of separately.”
So far, 22 children have been identified in the district including four kids of Koida and Rajgangpur blocks who lost their parents to COVID-19 recently. The rest 18 children lost their parents to non-Covid reasons.
Mr. Kalyan said, “A specific institute has been identified where these children who have been affected are kept so that special provisions are provided and once schools are open, we’ll ensure that all the basic facilities are provided to them. Apart from this, the administration and the district child protection officers are trying to identify the distressed children who are not in the institutes but are suffering from the same issue.”
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO DISTRESSED FAMILIES
Where some children have become orphans, many families have also lost their sole bread earner and came below poverty line. Mr. Kalyan said, “For them we have also planned provision under which food and basic supplies will be provided for six months. If the bread winner has lost his/her life due to Covid, pensions are being provided to the families. There is a state government scheme for general pensions which we have extended for the Covid affected families as well.”
With such noble steps, the district administration of Sundergarh is becoming a guardian to the distressed.
As Sundargarh is a tribal-dominated district, the administration is taking special steps for a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) known as the Paudi Bhuyan tribe. There are around 55 villages where the administration is testing the entire population and providing vaccination wherever possible. Orphans are also being identified in these villages and financial support is being provided by either giving stipend for full education, admission in a hostel or through financial assistance.
