Bhubaneswar: A total of 43,262 children have either lost both their parents or lost one parent (the primary bread earner) in Odisha during the Covid pandemic between 1 April 2020 to 15 September 2021.
In a written reply to a question by Dhruba Charan Sahoo in the Odisha Assembly, Minister of Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Srikanta Sahoo has informed that the children who were orphaned between April 1, 2020, and September 15, 2021, during the Covid pandemic have been covered under the Ashirbad scheme of the State government which apart from providing financial assistance provides for care through other social security schemes.
As on date, 988 children who have lost both their parents and 42,274 children who have lost one parent who is the primary bread earner are benefitting under the scheme, Sahoo added.
