On Wednesday, Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur, the Women and Child Development Minister of Maharashtra assured that children who have lost their parents to COVID-19, will receive financial assistance. She opened up about the sane, during a press briefing.
The decision was made, after Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, held a meeting, to discuss on the matter.
Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur said that children who have lost their parents to COVID-19, will get Rs 5 lakh. This money will be deposited in the form of a monthly allowance of 1,125 rupees.
Rs 5 lakh to be deposited in accounts of children who have lost their parents (mother&father) due to COVID, which they will receive after turning 21: Yashomati Thakur, Maharashtra Women & Child Development Minister pic.twitter.com/jldqX0sBxO
— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2021
For children who have lost one parent, they are likely to receive Rs 2,500: Yashomati Thakur, Maharashtra Women & Child Development Minister
— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2021
"We are trying to raise the amount upto Rs 2,500," said Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur.
After the child turns 21, the entire deposited amount, will be handed over, with interest on it. The same will also for children who have lost one of their parents, due to COVID-19.
All the expenses for bringing up the child, till they attain maturity, will be borne out by Maharashtra's childcare scheme.
However, children who have lost one parent, won't be eligible for the fixed deposit scheme, but will get their monthly allowance.
This scheme is open for orphans, irrespective of whether they are being cared by their relatives, or by a children's home.
"We have made a provision of Rs 10 crore for about 200 orphaned children. The budget will be increased if there are more such children," she added.
Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur had earlier suggested the financial aid
Earlier, Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur had held a meeting with the chief minister, and made a suggestion to deposit 5 lakh rupees, in the bank accounts of orphaned kids.
Varsha Gaikwad, the state's school education minister, had earlier announced that the Department of Higher and Technical Education, will take care if the education of these orphans.
Simlar financial aids have been announced by the state governments of Kerala, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, etc.