By TC News Desk
Agartala, 22nd October 2024: A workshop on the Mission Batsalya project was held on Tuesday organized by Miracle Foundation India and the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The event took place at a private hotel in Agartala city and was attended by TCPCR Chairperson Jayanti Debbarma and Volunteer Health Association Chairperson Sulekha Roy.
Chairperson Debbarma stated, “Mission Batsalya was initially launched by the Government of India in 2020 to support children who lost their parents to the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is one of the most crucial initiatives for these children.” She emphasized the importance of the workshop in raising awareness about the project.
However, Debbarma pointed out a critical issue: the lack of comprehensive data on the number of children orphaned by the pandemic in the state. “The surprising thing is that the Commission for Protection of Child Rights is trying to move forward with this project without accurate information. We have not been able to collect data on how many children have lost their parents due to the epidemic,” she said.
Despite this, Debbarma mentioned that the concerned department possesses this information. “Through this scheme, children will receive facilities of up to 4,000 rupees per month for their studies, and they will also have the opportunity to stay at home. This project aims to provide all necessary facilities for fatherless and motherless children to establish their future,” she added.
The lack of data collection, even two to three years after the pandemic, has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the project’s implementation. “How will those who could not collect information implement this project?” Debbarma questioned. “It is normal for the concerned department to have the information, but if a child is deprived due to any oversight by the department, the Child Protection Commission can stand by for that child.”
Participants at the workshop expressed mixed reactions, with many buzzing about the gaps in information and the challenges in executing such an important initiative.
