Over 40 govt school students in Chandigarh lost either parent to Covid

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

More than 40 children studying in UT government schools lost either of their parents to Covid-19.

The city has so far witnessed 262 deaths in the month of May. A total of 740 persons have succumbed to the virus in the city since the beginning of the pandemic.

A government schoolteacher, who went to visit a Covid-affected family, said: “I visited a family in which a father of two succumbed to Covid. He died of a heart attack and tested positive for Covid-19 posthumously. He had purchased a tempo on loan. The family’s source of income is now affected. We counselled both children, who study in Class 10, that we will pay their fees.”

The Apex Court had recently ordered the authorities across the country to immediately fan out and identify the children who were orphaned by Covid and were in need of care, and provide them with basic needs such as food, shelter and clothes.

Consequently, the UT Education Department asked schoolteachers to visit the homes of the affected students and take their details.

“We are just collecting realistic data about such children as of now. We will examine a proposal by weekend,” said an official of the UT Education Department.

The Government of India has also proposed financial assistance for Covid-affected children. Under the PM Cares for Children, such children will get a monthly stipend once they turn 18 and a fund of Rs10 lakh when they turn 23.

As per the latest announcement of the Central Government, free education is to be ensured for children who lost their parents to Covid. The children will be assisted in getting an education loan for higher education and PM Cares will pay interest on the loan.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said a decision on assistance for such children would be taken in the war-room meeting.