New Delhi: The Centre has asked all states and UTs to upload data of children who lost their parent (s) due to COVID-19 to Bal Swaraj portal under the COVID-Care link.
NCPCR wrote to Principal Secretaries of all States and UTs telling them to upload the data.
On May 25, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that 577 children across the country were orphaned after their parents succumbed to COVID-19.
“GOI (government of India) is committed to support and protect every vulnerable child due to the loss of both parents to Covid-19. From 1st April 2021 till 2:00 pm today, the state governments & UTs across the country have reported 577 children whose parents succumbed to Covid-19,” Smriti Irani said in a tweet.
The NCPCR’s move came after the Supreme Court on Friday directed the state authorities to immediately identify the vulnerable children and provide them with relief.
The top court asked state governments to understand the agony of children starving on the streets and directed the district authorities that they be immediately taken care of without waiting for any further orders from the courts.
The top court’s direction came on an application filed by amicus curiae Gaurav Agrawal in the pending suo motu case seeking identification of orphaned children due to COVID-19 or otherwise and providing them immediate relief by the state governments.
The bench said state governments must inform it of the position of these children and the steps they have taken to provide them immediate relief.