<p>The Centre on Monday sought more time from the Supreme Court to inform it of the modalities on the recently launched ''PM-CARES for Children'' scheme for kids orphaned due to Covid-19.</p>.<p>"We need some more time to apprise the court about the modalities of the scheme as consultation is still going on. We have made district magistrates directly responsible for the children who have been abandoned or orphaned," Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose said the court was inclined to give more time to respond to the court's query made on June 1, seeking details of the scheme announced on May 29 under the PM-CARES Fund to take care of children who who lost their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/pm-modis-address-to-nation-here-are-the-key-takeways-994787.html" target="_blank"><strong>Read | PM Modi's address to nation: Here are the key takeways</strong></a></p>.<p>The court, however, pulled up Delhi and West Bengal governments as Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), said both states have not been cooperating and have not provided latest data on the number of children who have lost their parents due to coronavirus.</p>.<p>The court wondered why only two states had problem in giving information. "Don't wait for orders of the court and implement all the relevant schemes," the bench told the counsels of Delhi and West Bengal governments.</p>.<p>Nataraj said by providing the necessary information, there will be continuous monitoring and it would help in protecting the rights of children.</p>.<p>The bench said it will issue some directions in its order in the Suo Motu matter, which may be uploaded by Tuesday.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-crisis-covishield-produces-more-antibodies-than-covaxin-shows-study-994667.html" target="_blank"><strong>Also Read | Covid-19 crisis: Covishield produces more antibodies than Covaxin, shows study</strong></a></p>.<p>Acting as amicus curiae, advocate Gaurav Agrawal told the bench that identification process of such children has been satisfactory except for Tamil Nadu, where the situation is difficult in terms of Covid. He said Tamil Nadu is only identifying those who have lost one or both parents due to COVID-19; the approach may not be very helpful in locating all children, who may have been affected due to the virus.</p>.<p>The bench said it understands that Covid-19 positivity rate is high, but there are Child Welfare Committees and Child Protection Units which need to be activated for identification and providing immediate assistance to those children.</p>.<p>Advocate Joseph Aristotle, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said the state has come up with a scheme under which it is paying Rs 5 lakh to the children, who have lost both parents and Rs 3 lakh who have lost one parent.</p>.<p>The bench asked Aristotle to instruct the officers of the state that each of such children be identified by district officers/child care units and be reported to Child Welfare Committees within 24 hours as per the Juvenile Justice Act.</p>
<p>The Centre on Monday sought more time from the Supreme Court to inform it of the modalities on the recently launched ''PM-CARES for Children'' scheme for kids orphaned due to Covid-19.</p>.<p>"We need some more time to apprise the court about the modalities of the scheme as consultation is still going on. We have made district magistrates directly responsible for the children who have been abandoned or orphaned," Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose said the court was inclined to give more time to respond to the court's query made on June 1, seeking details of the scheme announced on May 29 under the PM-CARES Fund to take care of children who who lost their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/pm-modis-address-to-nation-here-are-the-key-takeways-994787.html" target="_blank"><strong>Read | PM Modi's address to nation: Here are the key takeways</strong></a></p>.<p>The court, however, pulled up Delhi and West Bengal governments as Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), said both states have not been cooperating and have not provided latest data on the number of children who have lost their parents due to coronavirus.</p>.<p>The court wondered why only two states had problem in giving information. "Don't wait for orders of the court and implement all the relevant schemes," the bench told the counsels of Delhi and West Bengal governments.</p>.<p>Nataraj said by providing the necessary information, there will be continuous monitoring and it would help in protecting the rights of children.</p>.<p>The bench said it will issue some directions in its order in the Suo Motu matter, which may be uploaded by Tuesday.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-crisis-covishield-produces-more-antibodies-than-covaxin-shows-study-994667.html" target="_blank"><strong>Also Read | Covid-19 crisis: Covishield produces more antibodies than Covaxin, shows study</strong></a></p>.<p>Acting as amicus curiae, advocate Gaurav Agrawal told the bench that identification process of such children has been satisfactory except for Tamil Nadu, where the situation is difficult in terms of Covid. He said Tamil Nadu is only identifying those who have lost one or both parents due to COVID-19; the approach may not be very helpful in locating all children, who may have been affected due to the virus.</p>.<p>The bench said it understands that Covid-19 positivity rate is high, but there are Child Welfare Committees and Child Protection Units which need to be activated for identification and providing immediate assistance to those children.</p>.<p>Advocate Joseph Aristotle, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said the state has come up with a scheme under which it is paying Rs 5 lakh to the children, who have lost both parents and Rs 3 lakh who have lost one parent.</p>.<p>The bench asked Aristotle to instruct the officers of the state that each of such children be identified by district officers/child care units and be reported to Child Welfare Committees within 24 hours as per the Juvenile Justice Act.</p>
