Odisha Govt To Bear Education Expenses Of Children Orphaned By COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to bear the education cost of children, who have lost their parents due to COVID-19.

Briefing the media on Monday, Sulata Deo, advisor to the Women and Child Development Department, said that the orphaned children will be included in the ‘Green Passage’ scheme and the state government will bear the entire cost towards their higher studies in medical and engineering.

Apart from this, the government will also bear the expenses of orphaned children pursuing courses in private educational institutions.

Deo further said that the state government, which provides a monthly stipend of Rs 2000 to the orphaned children, is actively considering the same for those orphaned by COVID-19.

Talking to mediapersons earlier in the day, Science & Technology, Public Enterprises, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disability Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said that 35 children in the state have so far been orphaned by COVID-19 and the tehsildars have been asked to submit a detailed list of such children at the earliest.

He said that the state government will provide a three-month stipend to these children under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana in advance. The officials concerned will hand over the stipend money to these children at their house.