India’s government has promised support for the uncounted number of children who are either orphaned or have lost a parent in the Covid-19 pandemic that so far has infected more than 30 million people in the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise came as suspicious offers to adopt Covid orphans surfaced on the social media amid worries parentless kids could walk into traps laid out by child traffickers.
The government said it will pay stipends from a million-rupee (11,000-euro) fund which it will be set up for each of the Covid-affected children to help them through schooling until 18 years of age.
The grant will then be transferred in their names once they turn 23, to steer them into stable adulthood.
"The prime minister said that in such trying times it is our duty, as a society, to care for our children and instill hope for a bright future.
“All children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to Covid-19 will be supported,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
The state will also reimburse other expenses and help kids with scholarships, according to the 29 May pledge which drew applause in India where children account for 39 percent of the 1.3 billion population.
Numbers vary
Estimates of the number of children orphaned or minors left with one parent vary widely in India.
Late last month, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said 577 children were orphaned in April and May when a second surge buffeted the country.
According to media reports, a child rights group put the number of children who lost one or both parents at 30,071 but the national agency stressed all the deaths were not linked to Covid-19.
Some 3,621 children were orphaned, 26,176 lost one parent and 274 were abandoned by 5 June, the National Commission for Protection of Children Rights (NCPCR) was quoted as saying.
The details were given to the courts just days after NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo sounded a nationwide alert on 26 May.
“The commission has been receiving many complaints in the past month or so, alleging that there are private people, organisations who are involved in data collection of such children …” NCPCR said in an advisory to Indian states.
“It has become essential that the rights of children are upheld and protected and there is tracking of each child who has become orphan or has lost either of the parents to Covid-19,” it added.
Shobha Gupta, a lawyer, argued orphaned children can be adopted only through established legal procedures.
“Social media posts are circulating that children are up for adoption. This is plainly illegal and violates the Juvenile Justice Act,” Gupta told the top court.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has ordered local officials to track adoption-seekers on the social media to fight off potential traffickers.
Helping hands for Covid orphans
But observers say some of the offers were perhaps a result of an outpouring of concern for the children orphaned by the second wave, which has accounted for 57 percent of India’s 393,000 Covid deaths.
“But at the same time, one must follow the law of the land,” said Debyani, a housewife in the southern city of Bangalore, where SOS Children’s Village said it has taken in around 260 Covid orphans this year.
“We have enough ‘Mothers’ right now to take care of the children already placed in the Village but we are looking for more as we may need them in the future,” said S. Baskaran, director of the private charity.
Authorities in the state of Telangana have said they will hand out free mobile phones as a protection tool for Covid orphans in the southern state where the virus has killed more than 3,500 people.
"They can find help just a click away and can contact any of the officers, numbers of whom have been saved in the phone's contact list,” said T. Akkeshwar Rao, a state government official.
Many of India’s 28 states have come out with separate promises which include laptops for school-goers, hostels or even cash to pay for weddings, in support of India’s orphan children.
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International report - Pandemic-hit India holds out hope of ‘brighter future’ for Covid-19 orphans
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