Further scaling up efforts against on-going crisis of COVID-19, the Punjab government has started the process to supply nutrition supplements to all the beneficiaries in the state i.e. children in the age cohort of 6 months to 6 years, pregnant and nursing mothers at their doorsteps through Anganwari Workers.Apprising about this initiative, Social Security, Women & Child Development Minister Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary informed that the entire distribution is going on under the monitoring of Child Development & Project Officers in their respective blocks with the motive to ease out sufferings of folks. She said that the department is working in tandem with all district administrations to provide all possible help to the needy populace.Mrs. Chauhary further informed that disbursement of pensions directly into the saving bank accounts of 24.69 lac elderly, disabled persons, widows, destitute women and dependent children beneficiaries has also been completed. She said that disbursement of pensions for the month of March 2020, amounting to Rs.185.23 crore, will be started in the first week of April.Divulging other efforts to contain CORONA Virus, the Cabinet Minister said that the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Committee of Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued directions to that under-trials and convicted children, who committed offences other than heinous crimes may be considered for a “leave of absence” for a period up to 21 days.
In compliance of this, Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) of the concerned districts in Punjab are being working regarding release of eligible children placed in Observation and Special Homes. Pertinently, Punjab has three observation homes for boys at Ludhiana, Faridkot and Hoshiarpur, and one for girls at Jalandhar. There is one special home and one place of safety for boys at Hoshiarpur. These places have 174 children in conflict with law, against the total capacity of 300.Adding further, the Minister said that inhabitants of all the children and senior citizen homes have been sensitised about the measures to contain spreading of the Virus and all necessary health precautions have been carried out in the homes. They are being provided with all essential services regarding food and medicines. Apart from this, provision of temporary shelter and other required services under One Stop Centre scheme are being provided to the needy women at Sakhi-One Stop Centres (OSCs) in the State of Punjab. Duty rosters have been made to run these OSCs without any hindrance and to provide services. All the staff of OSCs is available on their phones and other electronic means of communications round the clock.