‘Ashirbad’ – Odisha Scheme To Ensure That Pandemic-orphaned Children Are Not Deprived of ‘Blessed’ Lives

Bhubaneswar: Adversities – catastrophes, wars, pandemics – always expose children the most and target them out as the prime victims. The world today is facing possibly the gravest pandemic in history and the most affected ones are the children who have lost their parents. Life and living are not going to be the same for them again. Their future – uncertain as it is for everyone else – will have the certainty of being marked with challenges and hardships. At these critical times, it is incumbent upon people-focused states to take the children along on priority, cushion the impact of adversities and prepare them for the future. While talking about children who have been orphaned due to Covid-19, today is the priority since ‘caring for children’, as a project can brook no delay – whether it is parents as the project owner or the State, substituting for them.

As a caring regime – the reason for which it is decidedly more loved than most both in time and space – the Odisha government has left no stone unturned to be visibly and meaningfully caring for its citizens during these critical times. Citizens have included the future ones – the children. Odisha has the least number of adult deaths in the country, Yet Odisha has acted fast and has taken the initiative to protect the children orphaned during pandemic as an ongoing project till they become able, contributing citizens. The ‘Ashirbad’ scheme launched by the state has all the components that can ensure that the orphaned children become future-ready despite their deprivation. What makes the scheme all-encompassing and fool-proof is children orphaned due to any reason including Covid-19 are all included in it as also children losing either or both parents.

As responsible states, the governments have the duty to shape the future of the children who become orphans through empathetic interventions. Child rearing and child psychology dictate that the struggling and unfortunate children should be handled in so delicate a manner that they do not feel different from or lag behind the others. When a child becomes a good citizen, the effort of the government intervention fructifies. They will definitely contribute in the development of the society when they grow up like their fortunate counterparts. But if they are left to fend for themselves in the aftermath of the pandemic, they could move away from the society or could fall prey to the anti-society elements. The ‘Ashirbad’ scheme, as announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has come as a blessing for all those who have lost either or both parents during the pandemic. This will have a far-reaching impact on all those families associated with those orphan children. While it solves the educational and life requirements of the children, it also will save them from slipping into grey zones and grey futures.

It is an observed societal fact that children who are traumatised by the loss of their parents, if not properly and delicately cared for at their childhood or young age, are at the risk of losing their potential value and societal significance. There is every chance of abuse, neglect, domestic violence, criminal exploitation or sexual exploitation of these children without proper state intervention. The Ashirbad Scheme launched by Odisha will help these children till they become adults and are fit for facing the life challenges. The scheme is a perfect blend of various incentives for the children as well as their care-takers at the difficult times. Child psychologists dealing with orphan children have argued that the children should be provided the best of facilities and assistance so that they do not feel neglected. If they once find themselves neglected, without guardianship, there is every chance that they will move away from the society and befriend anti-socials. Psychologists also say that the immediate relatives of the Covid-19 orphaned children should be first preferred for taking their care as both the orphans and their relatives know each other. According to Yasmin Haque, Head of UNICEF India, “these children are not only living an emotional tragedy, but they are also at high risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation.”

Odisha’s recovery plan for the orphan children has specialised support system and prompt intervention responses that can immediately act for the emotional and mental well-being. The Chief Minister’s dictate for early and immediate identification of the orphans has been reciprocated by the district administrations of the state. While specialized shelters have been opened for those orphans who do not have a house to live, others are being identified and kept track of. Child protection units could be seen visiting various villages to identify the children who need the support. Till date, within a month, more than 5000 children have already been identified as recipients of the ‘Ashirbad’ dispensation.

Under the ‘Ashirbad’ scheme, children who have lost their mother, father or both parents will be entitled for financial benefits. Children losing their single parent to Covid-19 will also be helped with this scheme. This assures the children who lose both their parents to Covid for monthly financial assistance of Rs 2500 till they reach the age of 18 years. This will also be applicable for children orphaned due to the death of their single parent due to Covid. Likewise, children who lose their mother or father who is the sole bread earner in the family will also get an assistance of Rs 1500. In his message, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that the state government is working for providing a committed and protected environment for the all-round development of children who need special care at these difficult times. The children who get benefitted by the new scheme will be in the care of their family members or relatives and the guardians will be encouraged to take good care of the orphaned children. The financial benefits will be directly transferred into the accounts of the care-takers electronically till the children reach the age of 18. If any child is adopted, then the benefits will cease. These children will also get free health insurance under the Biju Swasthya Kalyana Yojana. They will also be included in the Food Security Act. These children will continue to study in the same schools where they were studying earlier and if the new guardians live somewhere else then efforts will be made tore-locate them there. If required, all efforts will be made for the children to study in Adarsh Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas. For higher education of the orphaned children, the Green Passage scheme of the government will be implemented.

The Ashirbad scheme will also entitle the eligible relatives of the orphaned children for out of turn allotment of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or the Biju Pakka Ghar Yojana. If the relatives or guardians are eligible for any other government social schemes, they will be considered for out of turn benefits. The District Child Protection Units will be in regular touch with the relatives or guardians of the orphaned children and keep an eye on the needs of the children. If required, the children will also be given financial assistance from the Biju Sishu Surakhya Yojana and the Juvenile Justice Fund. If the orphaned children stay in any Child Care Institution, an amount of Rs 1000 will be deposited every month in their recurring deposit bank accounts till they reach the age of 18 years. The institution will take all care of the children. In case of children losing their single earning parent father or mother, Rs 1500 will be deposited every month till the age of 18 years in the bank account of the living parent father or mother, or the child’s bank account. If the mother of the child is eligible for Madhu Babu Pension, she will be considered for the widow pension and the national food security benefits. District Child Protection Unit, Childline and the Panchayat level Committees will prepare a list of children in association with frontline workers and civil society members. The ‘Ashirbad’ scheme is a complete and detailed scheme that aims to include each and every needy child under its fold.

Let’s sample these: For three months’ old Mamata, the only child of Devidutta – the Covid-19 warrior from Berhampur – who succumbed to Covid-19, the Ashibad scheme means a lot. With his selfless service, Devidutta took care of the orphans at various institutions and now the government has come forward to take care of his child after his sacrifice. The young mother has pinned hopes on the ‘Ashirbad’ scheme for help. This is not a solitary story belonging to Devidutta of Berhampur. Rutu Krishna Singh and Aditya Singh of Balasore town, who are just 13 and seven years old, have a similar situation. Both their parents have died of Covid-19. Now they are being taken care of by their grandparents who are not that much well-to-do. The district administration has reached out to the family and initiated the Ashirbad Scheme for them. They will get the financial assistance according to the provisions till they attain the age of 18 years.

To be welfare-minded is a mandate for the State; to effectively mean welfare, it requires plan, method and execution more than mere intent and lip-service. To be helpful to the citizens in these Corona times, the State needs to be more prompt and precise in respect of its plans and performance.

Securing the lives of tender, orphaned children, under the circumstances, is an even more delicate duty and can be achieved only when a government intervenes wholeheartedly. Odisha’s ‘Ashirbad’ scheme has that ‘whole’ heart. With a social constructionist perspective, it will ensure that these precious, promising lives are not rendered ‘Children of a lesser God’ and are seamlessly kept under the needed family-shade.