After announcing care for Covid orphans, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to roll out relief for Covid widows. The relief will include employment, skill development, financial help and linkage with various development schemes. According to a government spokesperson, the chief minister has directed officials to start a scheme on mission mode to help women who have lost their husbands to Covid.

The Department of Women and Child Development has been asked to work out the modalities. The spokesperson said, “The mission will address concerns of all such women who need help from the government at this crucial juncture. It will be framed on the lines of the recent scheme for children who have lost their parents or the earning member of the family to Covid.” Department of Women and Child Development Director Manoj Rai said: “Work has already started and the outline of the programme should be ready this week. Work under this mission will take place in two phases. We will identify women who have been widowed due to Covid-19 and need assistance. We will also identify schemes being implemented by all departments, to which these women can be linked. The programme will work on convergence mode.”

The second phase of the programme will look at specific needs of the beneficiaries and how they can be assisted. “Women will be provided help in finding employment and will be linked to schemes which can help them financially. The revenue department will also help in identifying such women and ensure that they get family succession benefits at the earliest,” he added. The chief minister has also asked officials to hold special camps at block and nyay panchayat levels for distribution of pension for women. He has directed officials to address all problems being faced by inmates of old age homes, as well.