The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Monday informed the Supreme Court that 30,071 children were orphaned, lost a parent or abandoned due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the total, 26,176 children have lost a parent, 3,621 have been orphaned and 274 have been abandoned, the NCPCR submitted the data to the top court.
As per a report published by PTI, the commission further said that the "state-wise data received regarding children who have lost either their mother or father or both parents from April 1, 2020 to June 5, 2021, irrespective of their reason of death (not only death due to COVID-19), was uploaded on its "Bal Swaraj" portal and collated by it".
Maharashtra was worst affected with 7,084 children being orphaned, abandoned or have lost a parent mostly to the deadly virus since April 1 last year, it said
In its affidavit filed in the suo motu matter taken up by the apex court, the NCPCR said other states where children are most affected include Uttar Pradesh (3,172), Rajasthan (2,482), Haryana (2,438), Madhya Pradesh (2,243), Andhra Pradesh (2,089), Kerala (2,002), Bihar (1,634) and Odisha (1,073).
The NCPCR said that among the affected, boys are 15,620, girls (14,447) and transgender (4), with most children falling in the category of 8 to 13 years of age (11,815).
It said that children affected between the age group of 0 to 3 years are 2,902, 4-7 years group are 5,107 and 14 to 15 years are 4,908. It said that children affected between 16 to below 18 years are 5,339 in numbers.
It also said that data uploading is an ongoing process, which is for identification of the CNCPs (Child in Need of Care and Protection) and the real-time tracking to ensure welfare for those children.
The affidavit also highlighted that complaints have been received by the child rights body on involvement of private people and organizations in collection of data for adoption of children without following proper procedure under concerned Acts and further alleged that government agencies and officials have been disclosing identities of minors to private organisations and NGOs too.
