Covid orphans get monthly help of 3cr after 2-month gap

Dehradun: After a gap of two months, approximately 5,673 children orphaned by the Covid-19 pandemic in Uttarakhand have finally received financial assistance under Chief Minister Vatsalya Yojana on Wednesday. The delay in processing their monthly aid was attributed to budget issues, said Prashant Arya, director of the Women Empowerment and Child Development (WECD) department of Uttarakhand.
A sum of Rs 3.4 crore was disbursed through direct benefit transfer (DBT) by Uttarakhand's women empowerment and child development minister, Rekha Arya.A recent departmental inquiry found 113 beneficiaries ineligible, while over 600 were declared over-age for the scheme, which was launched in July 2021 and provides Rs 3,000 per month to eligible children.
During a review meeting on Tuesday, Arya expressed dissatisfaction over delays in implementing the Mahila Kalyan Kosh Niti and the Ekal Mahila Swarojgar Yojna schemes. "The Women Welfare Fund, which was meant to provide financial support for women, has been delayed due to pending legal guidelines. Similarly, the Ekal Mahila Swarojgar Yojna is stuck in the finance department. Officials have been directed to expedite both schemes to ensure women benefit from them," Arya said.
She added, "To support working women, the state plans to establish 34 Anganwadi-cum-creches in the future. At these centres, working women can leave their children during working hours, from 8am to 5pm. The initiative will begin in the four districts in the plains including Dehradun and US Nagar. Two model Anganwadi-cum-creche centres are expected to be operational in the first week of Oct."