Chennai, May 31(BPNS)
Covid-19 is creating untold miseries taking away the lives of dear ones and crippling the financial position as people are turned jobless and the most vulnerable are children who lose their parents, either one or both the parents turning them literally into orphans and to depend on others for their survival.
In Coimbatore alone 91 children have lost their parents- either one or both due to Covid -19. The Office of the District Child Protection Council (DCPO), Coimbatore said that on Sunday, 91 children under 18 years of age have lost either one or both parents due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the 91 children who lost their parents, family members of 53 of these children have sought financial assistance from the government.
Chief minister MK Stalin has on Saturday announced that the state government would deposit 5 lakh rupees in the name of the children who are orphaned by Covid -19 and Rupees 3 lakh in the name of the children who lost one of their parents due to the deadly pandemic.
Children who have lost their parents due to Covid -19 and who are staying with their relatives will be paid Rs 3000 per month till they turn 18 years of age.
An officer with the DCPO while speaking to BPNS said, “We have identified 91 such children who have lost one of their parents or both the parents to Covid 19. Single parent, relatives, and guardians of these children do not want them to be sent to government homes. We have received requests from 51 family members of children who lost one of the parents and 2 applications from relatives of children who lost both their parents for assistance from the government .”
The Confederation of Indian Industries, Coimbatore chapter in association with the DPCO has arranged groceries and other necessary items for the next three to four months for the families of children who lost one of the parents of both the parents due to Covid -19.
K Manikantan, an office bearer of CII, Coimbatore chapter while speaking to IANS said, “We are supporting the families of these children but the government announcement will help alleviate them of their difficulties and the relatives who looks after these children will not also be burdened of them if there is a regular income.”
