Kerala Announces Special Package, Monthly Aid For Kids Orphaned Due To Covid

The Kerala Government has announced a special package and monthly aid to every child who lost their parents to Covid. A special package of Rs 3 lakh will be given as immediate relief and a monthly sum of Rs 2,000 will be issued to the children orphaned due to Covid, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Mr Vijayan also said that educational expenses of the children will also be borne by the government till their graduation. The monthly aid of Rs 2,000 will be provided till the students attain the age of 18 years.

The Chief Minister’s Office took to Twitter to announce this. It said: “Government of Kerala will provide a special package for children who have lost their parents to Covid19. Rs 3,00,000 will be given as immediate relief and a monthly sum of Rs 2,000 will be issued till their 18th birthday.”

“Educational expenses will be covered till graduation,” it added.

The Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments as well had previously announced financial support and free education for children whose parents died of Covid.

The Delhi Government has announced Rs 2,500 every month to those children orphaned due to COVID-19, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

Mr Kejriwal also said that free education will be provided to those children and the amount of Rs 2,500 will be provided to them till they attain the age of 25 years.

On similar lines, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the state government will offer a pension of Rs 5,000 per month and free education to such children.

“We will provide education free of cost to the children who have lost their parents. They will be provided free ration even if they are not eligible for it,” the Chief Minister said. Mr Chouhan noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit many families.

The Chhattisgarh Government, as well, said the government will bear the education expenses of the children who have lost parents to Covid, under the scheme`Chhattisgarh Mahtari Dular Yojna’.

Under the scheme, a stipend of Rs 500 per month will be paid to such children from Classes 1 to 8 and Rs 1,000 per month from Classes 9 to 12. Children studying in both government and private schools will be entitled to this stipend.

The Jharkhand Government had said it is committed to rehabilitating children orphaned by COVID-19 and announced financial assistance to the caretakers.