Welfare Scheme should cover all children orphaned during Covid-19: Supreme Court

On Tuesday, 27th July 2021, the Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose observed that Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund [PM CARES Fund], used for the welfare schemes for the orphans should include all children who were orphaned by the impact of Covid 19 (until they attain the age of 23), irrespective of the fact that they got orphaned due to covid or not i.e., post-March 2020 period.

The court further added that this step is not to extend the scheme of PM Cares of Rs. 10 lakh whereas it is merely to add all orphans who became so during the pandemic. The court also asked for clarification from the union on this.

In furtherance to the above observation, the court pointed out that India is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Child and the country must protect the orphans of the country. Therefore, the court ordered to implement all the other schemes which involve the welfare of orphans immediately and said that these schemes should be brought into reality and not remain on paper only.

The bench was considering a case initiated in March 2020 which involved the issue of the spread of Covid in juvenile homes, child care centres, etc. Now, this year the bench took note of children who became orphaned during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Earlier the court on 28th May 2021 had ordered the Union and States to identify and upload on “Bal Swaraj” portal of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights about the children who became orphaned during the period of pandemic I.e. post-March 2020 irrespective of the fact whether due to Covid-19 or not.