Hope floats for orphans

[Guest guest]

THERE'S, a glimmer of hope for children orphaned by AIDS and natural

calamities. The government will give financial and social incentives to those

who adopt them. It is part of the social justice commitment enshrined in the CMP

of the government.

Though there are no concrete figures of children orphaned by AIDS in India,

officials believe the figure is high compared to other nations, barring

sub-Saharan Africa. Figures of 2001 Census peg the number of Indian orphans to

1.2 million. " We believe 3-5 per cent of these children were orphaned by AIDS, "

an official said. Natural calamities too take a heavy toll on children. Nearly

5,000 children were orphaned by the 2004 tsunami. Sources said these children

would also be covered under the scheme.

The aim is to give these children a sense of belonging. " The worst victims of

HIV/AIDS and natural disasters are poor children. The scheme will help

rehabilitate them, " a senior official said. Under the scheme, the family

adopting the child will get a one-time grant and monthly stipend to bring up the

child for a few years. " This is the basic idea. The exact amount and families to

be covered will be decided in consultation with the financial wing of the HRD

ministry, " an official said.

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Source: Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 17