Madhya Pradesh: 5 COVID-orphaned Minor Siblings Found Begging On Streets

The government officials on Friday rescued five minor siblings, who were found begging in a village in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh for survival, reports TOI. They were left to fend for themselves after they lost their parents to Covid-19.

Local administration swung into action as chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan intervened after their video was widely shared on social media platforms. All five children - three girls and two boys - were shifted to a Sishu Grih (a rehab center for children).

BCCL/ Representational Image

Bhind district collector Dr Satish Kumar S said that he came to know about the plight of the children two days ago. ¡°We took immediate action. The child welfare committee approached them and shifted them to sishu griha after taking consent of their grandfather. We will take care of them and will do the needful in compliance with the recommendations of juvenile justice laws,¡± he told TOI.

Youngest is a 10-month old boy

Eldest of them is a seven-year-old girl and the youngest one is a 10-month-old boy. Others are five, three and two years old, the official said. The collector said that the kids used to live in Uttar Pradesh with their parents. Their father died in February, last year and mother passed the next month. Their aunt kept them with her for some time in UP and then she left them at their grandfather¡¯s house in Bhind.

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¡°Their grandfather was also too old to earn. We had to take his consent to shift the children to rehab. Initially, he was not ready. We had to counsel him,¡± said the collector. Administrative officers have been asked to prepare their documents. Lahar MLA Govind Singh too has assured all support to the orphaned children.

Noteworthy, the pandemic has left over 300 children orphaned in Madhya Pradesh. These figures were known after the state government identified the kids orphaned by the pandemic to support them under a scheme announced by the chief minister.

Mukhya Mantri Bal Kalyan Yojana

MP was one of first states to start identification of children orphaned by the pandemic after which the Mukhya Mantri Bal Kalyan Yojana was announced. Under the scheme, children, who have lost both their parents will be provided sustenance of Rs 5,000 per month till they attain the age of 21. If the child pursues his/her studies beyond the age of 21, the allowance would be provided till the age of 24.

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The legal guardian of the kids will be identified based on the provisions prescribed under the Juvenile Justice Act. Even those children who are in childcare institutions (CCI) and are being taken care of by the government will be eligible for the benefits after attaining the age of 18.

The scheme has no binding of having only two kids, as if there are more than two children, and both the parents have died, all are equally affected. The Women And Child Development Department is aiming to create a level of awareness in the community to encourage foster parents for younger children, sources said.