THE TRIBUNE IMPACT: Himcare cover for Himachal orphaned siblings

Our Correspondent

UNA, MARCH 26

Aryan and Suman Preet, the siblings from Lower Badehra panchayat of Haroli, who were orphaned on May 12, 2021, have been brought under the ambit of the Himcare scheme, which will provide them a health insurance cover up to Rs 5 lakh.

It was disclosed here today by Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma.

On March 21, The Tribune had carried a news item regarding the hardships being faced by the minors. Taking a suo motu notice of the news item, the High Court had directed the authorities to take action into the matter. Anju Devi had died at the Covid hospital in Palkwah village of Una district, while her husband already passed away due to heart attack some time ago.

The siblings are to repay a loan of about Rs 1.75 lakh, which their parents had taken from the village cooperative society. Despite the provisions of the ‘PM Cares Fund for Children’ orphaned due to Covid, the siblings were not provided health insurance cover. The DC said the siblings had now been included in the Himcare scheme.

The Badehra Cooperative Agriculture Service Society, which had sanctioned loans to Anju Devi and her husband, had declined to waive the amount, saying that the shareholders were against the move. Karmi Devi, the foster mother of the siblings, has been getting messages from the society to repay the amount.

“The least that the government can do is to direct the society to stop charging interest on the loan the day Anju Devi died and her children became orphans,” pleaded Karmi Devi, saying that Aryan is just over 15 and has no source of income to repay the loan. Suman is a year younger to Aryan, she said.