Gujarat: Financial aid brings solace to Covid orphans

AHMEDABAD: The heart-wrenching visuals of a 10-year-old boy performing last rites of his mother who succumbed to Covid would have sent shivers down the spine of those who watched it. For a week ago, he had performed a similar ceremony for his father who passed away after being infected with Covid-19.
The two deaths that left the child orphan took place in Bharuch district in the first half of May, said a person aware of the matter.
In another instance, a four-year-old girl was reportedly undergoing treatment for coronavirus at a hospital in Bhavnagar, oblivious to the fact that her parents have succumbed to the deadly virus at a nearby hospital.
Such messages have been doing rounds in social media during the second Covid wave. In a message, being circulated on social media, two young siblings, less than five years old, lost their parents in Covid-19.
Taking a leaf from Madhya Pradesh, the Gujarat government recently announced a monthly assistance of Rs 4,000 for children who have been orphaned in Covid-19 pandemic. The financial assistance will continue till the child is 18 years old.
“It is possible that a child who has lost both his parents may be from a nuclear family hence the government should plan for their proper rehabilitation and their free education,” said an official.
The state core committee at its meeting on Friday, chaired by chief minister Vijay Rupani, announced to pay Rs 4,000 per month assistance to children rendered orphan following death of mother and father due to coronavirus.
Those present at the meeting included education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, energy minister Saurabh Patel, minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja, chief secretary Anil Mukim, chief minister’s chief principal secretary K Kailashnathan, ACS Pankaj Kumar and M K Das and principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi.