Bhubaneswar: In a major development, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced a special scheme Ashirbad for children who are orphaned by Covid-19. 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 benefitted with this scheme.
The Ashirbad scheme will entitle 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.
According to a release from the CMO, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has categorically instructed the authorities that not a single orphan child should be devoid of the financial assistance. The Ashirbad scheme will be implemented in the state immediately and applicable with retrospective effect from April 1st 2020.
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 will get benefitted with 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 to shift 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 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 orphaned children or their single parents or relatives can approach the DCPUs with the death certificates for getting the Ashirbad scheme benefits. District authorities have also been instructed by the Chief Minister for conduct of yearly special drives for identifying the orphans.
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