Bhubaneswar: Soon after the plight of three orphaned children in Bolangir was highlighted in several sections of the media, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena ordered the district administration to investigate and act promptly.
On the instructions of Collector Chanchal Rana, a team comprising members of the District Child Protection Office, Child Welfare Committee and Patnagarh BDO went to Ranidarh village in Mundomahula panchayat and met the three children.
The children – Pramita Mausia (13 years), Prakash Mausia (15 years) and Kavita Mausia (20 years) lost their father Sadashiv, a daily wager, in 2021. Their mother Sebati succumbed to an illness this February while under treatment at Patnagarh sub-divisional hospital.
The children met Child Welfare Committee members online following which instructions were issued to keep Pramita and Prakash in a children’s home under the Mission Vaslya scheme. All arrangements for their care, protection and education will be made there, the CWC stated.
Prakash will appear for the matric examination this year in Maneipad High School while Pramita will sit for her 8th Std annual exams in the same school. After the examination, the siblings will go to the children’s home. Until the trial, the children will be under the guardianship of their cousin brother and sister-in-law.
Patnagarh BDO has included children in the Anthdayoy Annapurna Yojana under which will they get 35 kg of rice per month. They have also been included in the ‘Arshibad’ scheme. Financial assistance is provided to them through bank accounts.
The eldest daughter Kavita (about 20 years old) has passed Plus II and quit her studies. The local BDO said that Kavita will be enrolled in the Odisha Jibika Mission to ensure that she becomes employable and self-reliant with skill development training.
The family has also been brought under the fold of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. The administration is making coordinated arrangements for the care, protection, education and future livelihood of these children.
The Chief Secretary thanked the local administration for reaching out to the orphaned children within a day or two, and the media representatives for bringing the children’s concerns to their attention.
