New
Delhi: Observing
that identification of children who have lost parents due to COVID-19 does not
brook any further delay, the Supreme Court Tuesday directed the state
governments and union territories (UTs) to file status reports giving
particulars about the number of children who have become orphan after March
2020.
A
bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose directed the the
District Magistartes to issue necessary instructions to the district child
protection officers to take assistance of the police, civil society, gram
panchayats, anganwadi and ASHA workers for identification of orphans.
The
top court said this is in addition to mechanisms available in Juvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and rules.
“The
identification of children who have lost both parents or one parent after March
2020 does not brook any further delay,” the bench said.
It
said District Magistrates are directed to continue uploading the information on
Bal Swaraj portal of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
(NCPCR).
Child
welfare committees are directed to complete the inquiry within the time limit
specified under Act and provide assistance and rehabilitation to orphans, the
bench added.
“All
state governments, UTs are directed to file status reports giving particulars
giving the number of children who have become orphan after March 2020. The
number of children produced before the child welfare committee and their
particular who have been provided with benefits of the schemes by the state
governments,” the bench said.
It
also directed the states to provide details regarding payment of ? 2000
monetary assistance given to needy orphans under the Integrated Child
Development Services scheme.
With
regard to education of orphan children, the top court directed the state
governments to ensure that orphans continue to study in the same school,
private or government, for the current academic year and in case of any
difficulty they may be accommodated in the neighbourhood school under the Right
to Education Act.
The
top court also directed the state governments to furnish details about children
who have been accommodated in government and private schools and posted the
matter for hearing on August 26.
The
top court's direction came after perusing a report filed by advocate Gaurav
Agrawal, who has been appointed amicus curiae, in a suo motu case seeking
identification of orphaned children due to COVID-19 or otherwise and providing
them immediate relief by the state governments.
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