OPS finds lax in CM announced scheme

Former Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Monday urged Chief Minister M K Stalin to intervene and ensure that the scheme announced by him on May 29 promising financial and educational benefits to those children who have lost their parents due to the covid-19 pandemic is implemented in letter and spirit.

In a statement, the AIADMK leader said that the state government last month announced that it would take care of the children who have been orphaned due to the Covid 19 is taken care of by the state social welfare department.

CM Stalin had announced that the state would deposit Rs 5 lakh for each beneficiary and the amount along with interest will be given to the child at the age of 18 years. Such identified children will be given priority in government homes and hostels, the CM had said, the letter said. But the notification and government orders by the government are in contrast to the CM statement, OPS said.

The state social welfare department in a government order says that the benefits would be eligible only for the students whose parents (either father or mother were not Government employees are have worked in any government undertaking sector). This norm in the GO is a great injustice to children who have lost their parents and is a case of discrimination. The objective of this clause is to reduce the number of beneficiaries defeating the purpose of giving economic support to deserving children.

In my understanding, the notification by the department seems to have an objective of reducing the number of beneficiaries. The state should consider that they have lost their parents and bringing in a new set of rules to execute the scheme would derail the objectivity of the state announcement. Considering the fact that these children have lost their parents both are either one of them, the state should relax certain rules and the CM should intervene in this matter at the earliest, OPS said.