Delhi traces 2,000 kids who lost one or both parents due to Covid-19, enrols them in govt scheme

The Delhi government has traced over 2,000 children who have either lost one or both parents due to Covid-19 and is enrolling them in the scheme notified for their welfare and well-being.

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) used a helpline it launched in April this year to undertake well-being surveys and identification of children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19, using data provided by the Health Department.

According to DCPCR data, it has identified 67 children who lost both their parents to the pandemic, while 651 lost their mothers. There were 1,311 minors who lost their father due to Covid-19.

Read | Frame guidelines to pay ex-gratia to kin of Covid-19 victims, SC tells Centre

DCPCR chairperson Anurag Kundu said the details of these children have been shared with the Department of Women and Child Development to enrol eligible beneficiaries in the scheme notified by the Delhi government for children who have lost their parents due to the pandemic.

Kundu said, overall, in the last three months, the DCPCR helpline (9311551393 ) has enabled the Commission to reach out to more and more children and their families and made the Commission more accessible and brought it closer to the children and their families.

In last three months, the helpline has received nearly 4,500 complaints, of which 2,200 were SOS complaints. According to DCPCR data, 85% of the SOS complaints were responded within 24 hours and 15% within 72 hours.

Also Read | Covid-19: Ban on international flights extended till July 31

The SOS complaints consisted of children and families in urgent need for essential supplies such as ration, medical emergencies, cases of abandoned children and Covid-19 testing related requirements among others, Kundu said.

Going by the current trend, he said the DCPCR expects to receive nearly 20,000 complaints in the ongoing year, which would be nearly 1,300% of the average of the past three years and is 2.5 times the complaints it received in 12 years.