‘Constitute sub-panel for aid to COVID widows, orphans’

 

 

 

Dr Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, equated COVID-19 pandemic to world war situation and said that it had caused long-term impact on society and many families were bearing the brunt. She asked the officials to constitute a sub-committee under District Task Force to extend aid to women who lost their husband and children who lost their parents to COVID-19 in Nagpur district. “Unfortunately, in Nagpur district, As many as 795 women have lost their husband and 1,750 children have lost their parents to COVID-19. I have asked the officers to implement existing welfare schemes to help people come out of economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 pandemic. I have sought report of these measures till September 12,” Dr Gorhe said while addressing mediapersons at Bachat Bhavan Sabhagruha in District Collectorate here on Thursday. Considering the possibility of child marriages in case of orphaned girls in the age-bracket of 10-18 years, she asked the administration to keep a close watch and also to ensure that orphaned children did not end up becoming child labourers. Aid in terms of seeds, fertilizers etc should be extended to widows dependent on agriculture, she added. Earlier, she chaired a meeting of senior officers and took stock of the COVID-19 situation, and also appreciated Nagpur district’s 63 villages that remained COVID-free all through.

 

Replying to a question, Dr Gorhe said that the reopening of schools should be postponed considering the prevailing situation. State Government conducted a lot of consultations with schools, teachers, and parents. “We see new variants of novel coronavirus being reported regularly. Who will take responsibility if children catch the infection in such a situation,” she wondered. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government in Maharashtra led by Shiv Sena has been drawing criticism over not reopening the temples while allowing liquor shops to open. Asked about this, Dr Gorhe who is Deputy Leader of Shiv Sena, said that her party also wanted the temples to open but it was not possible given the prevailing COVID-19 situation. “Besides, the demand is being raised time and again only by one political party. They must tell us which are the temples that are open in Goa and Uttar Pradesh,” she remarked. To a question regarding State Legislature not held in Vidarbha in the recent past, Dr Gorhe replied, “This does not mean that the issues concerning Vidarbha were not discussed. Since the Leader of Opposition in Assembly is from Vidarbha, there was a lot of discussion over Vidarbha issues. Moreover, the date of the forthcoming winter session has been announced.”

 

Also, she quipped, monsoon session of State Legislature was held in Nagpur once instead of Mumbai and everyone saw what happened then. In the meeting held earlier at Bachat Bhavan Sabhagruha, Dr Neelam Gorhe asked Construction Workers’ Welfare Board to hold workers’ meet on August 17 and 18. She also directed the officials concerned to hold domestic workers’ meet on August 23 and 24. Mineral Development Fund should be utilised to help these segments, she added. She also appreciated the presentations on COVID-free Gram Panchayats made by Sudhir Gotmare, Sarpanch of Khursapar; Pranjal Wagh, Sarpanch of Kadholi; and Nalini Sherkure, Sarpanch of Pimpaldhara. She was all praise for the villages that implemented innovative ideas to keep COVID-19 at bay. Manisha Kayande and Dushyant Chaturvedi, MLCs; Adv Ashish Jaiswal, MLA; R Vimala, District Collector; Yogesh Kumbhejkar, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad; Rakesh Ola, Superintendent of Police, Nagpur Rural; Jagadish Katkar, Resident Deputy Collector; Ram Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner; Sarang Awad, Deputy Commissioner of Police, were present prominently in the meeting.