CM launches scheme to aid Covid orphaned kids
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, May 30 2021:
To commemorate completion of seven years of the NDA government at the Centre, chief minister N Biren Singh on Sunday announced Chief Minister's Bal Seva Scheme (Chief Minister gi Angang-gi Tengbang) for children orphaned by COVID-19 .
The scheme is meant for children, who have lost both the parents/ surviving parent/legal guard- ians/adoptive parent due to the pandemic.
Elaborating on the scheme, the chief minister said that the government would provide a maintenance amount of Rs 3500 per month if any such child wishes to stay in a non-institutional care facility such as under the care of an extended family or guardian.
It may be mentioned that the Government of India is providing Rs 2160 per child per month to the Child Care Institutions as maintenance grant for children below 10 years of age and not having an extended family or guardian.
However, under the new scheme, the maintenance amount has been hiked with state adding addition sum of Rs 1500 to the existing Scheme for Child Protection.
In case the child does not have any extended family or grandparents or guardians to live with, the kid would be kept in a Child Care Institution, which is run by central government, he stated.
Regarding protection of property rights of such children, he informed that stamp duty would be exempted in the registration of the deceased parents' property (land) in their name.
Land revenue would also be exempted for such transferred land till the child attends the age of 21 years.
The CM further added that the scheme would also ensure specific institutional care and education for adolescent girls.
They would be given preference for admission in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) to ensure sensitive care, proper protection and free education.
Biren further declared that laptops would be provided as a one-time special assistance to such children, who are studying in Class XI or above or undergoing a vocational course after completing Class X.Greeting the people on completion of seven years of the NDA Government, Biren also appreciated the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the committed hard work towards bringing development in the past seven years and dedicated efforts to fight COVID-19 pandemic.