TN Joins Bandwagon, Doles Out Relief Fund & Free Education For Children Orphaned By COVID-19

Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Uttarakhand are the other states who have promised financial assistance to children who lost their parents to the deadly virus

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin

Chennai: After doling out freebies in the time of assembly elections in the state almost a month ago, now it’s time for the DMK government to carefully handle the Covid scenario in the country. The government of Tamil Nadu had today assured a sum of ₹5 lakh relief fund for the children who were orphaned due to the prevailing pandemic.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announces Rs 5 lakh assistance to children who lost both the parents due to #COVID19

— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2021

Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday held consultations with senior officials at the General Secretariat on the steps to be taken on behalf of the government to protect the interests of orphans and orphaned children whose parents have died of Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Minister directed the government officials to provide the following relief assistance to those children and to protect the helpless children. For children who have lost their parents due to corona infection and are left without support, the government will deposit a sum of ₹5 lakh each in their name and pay the amount with interest to the child when the child turns 18 years of age.

Free education for children who lost their parents to Covid-19

Children who have lost their parents will be given priority accommodation in government homes and hostels. The Chief Minister has directed the government to bear all the expenses of these children, including tuition and accommodation, up to graduation.

The state government has already formed a task force to monitor the children who lost their parents.

With these relief funds and free education schemes, Tamil Nadu joined a bandwagon of states, which have already announced relief funds to children who lost parents due to the raging pandemic. Besides, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Uttarakhand are the states which had already announced financial assistance to the orphaned children.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked all states and Union Territories to work on the data of children who lost their parents due to Covid-19 on Bal Swaraj Portal.

Women and Child Development Minister, Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that 577 children across the country have become orphans due to Covid-19.