India News | Tripura CM Launches Scheme for Children Orphaned by Covid-19

Agartala, May 29 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday launched a programme for the children who lost their parents due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As per the scheme, the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 3,500 per month to those orphan children, who will stay with relatives instead of government shelters, up to the age of 18 years, he said.

For those who will stay in government homes, the administration will bear the cost of their living, Deb said while announcing the 'Mukhyamantri Balya Seva Parikalpana' (Chief Ministers Children Service Scheme).

"After completion of Matriculation (class-10 board exam), the government would provide these children with either a laptop or a tablet to access the internet for their educational purpose," he said.

If the orphan is a girl, she would receive financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for expenses of her marriage, the chief minister told a press conference.

The pandemic situation came as a disaster for many children and the scheme was planned with the intention to support them, Deb said.

Deb, who also holds the health portfolio, said that all government welfare schemes will be extended to these orphan children on a priority basis.

To a question on the elderly people who have lost their children due to coronavirus, the chief minister said that the state government will look into their matter with sympathy.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)