INDORE: The Indore district of Madhya Pradesh has over 400 children with a single parent, who are running from pillar to post to get benefits of government schemes meant to financially assist them.
But despite eligibility, limited funds allotted by the state government has restricted local administration to provide monetary help to only 10 per cent of the applicants.
It’s after the second wave of Covid-19 that wreaked havoc in Indore during April and May, around 500 children, who either lost their one or both the parents, approached the woman and child development department to provide them financial and other assistance.
“Of them, we have found a total 53 applicants fulfilling all the criteria under ‘Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Bal Kalyan Yojana’ to get a monthly pension of Rs 5,000 along with free ration and education,” district child protection officer Avinash Yadav said.
He said that the remaining over 400 applications have been filed by single parents after the death of their wife/husband. So, they don’t qualify for ‘Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Bal Kalyan Yojana’.
Lijoy, 6 and his sister Yashashvi,16, are among those who lost their father Pravinraj Chouhan, only earning member in the family, in the second wave of Covid-19 in May.
“My mother, Savita Chouhan, 40, has slipped into depression after death of my father while we know nothing how to lead life further without any proper assistance,” Yashashvi told TOI, adding that as they don’t qualify for ‘Mukhyamantri Covid-19 Bal Kalyan Yojana’, they have approached the officials to provide them financial aid in some other schemes meant for single-parent.
Speaking over status of ‘Sponsorship Scheme’, which is meant for the children who have lost one of the parents and meet some other criteria, Yadav said, “Under the ‘Sponsorship Scheme’, the state government makes available Rs 10 lakh funds to provide financial assistance of Rs 2000 monthly to 40 children”.
He said that this year, however, the department has already processed applications of 42 children under the scheme. “We have written to the state government asking for additional budget to provide benefits of ‘Sponsorship Scheme’ to the eligible children, who are left out due to restriction of fund (Rs 10 lakh/year),” Yadav said, adding that efforts are on to approach local social and commercial organisations to raise funds to assist the needy children financially.