New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all the state governments to provide necessary infrastructure to child care institutions for online classes and also provide Rs 2,000 monthly for the education of each child belonging to these institutions, who were with their families presently, amid the ongoing Novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The bench, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao and also comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Ajay Rastogi, was hearing a suo motu case relating to COVID-19 spread in child shelter homes across the country.
Amicus curiae Adv Gaurav Agrawal told the top court of the country that 2,27,518 children were in child care institutions, when the pandemic started and 1,45,788 have been restored with their parents or guardians.
Apart from directing the monthly financial aid for each child, the apex court also directed the states to cater to the educational needs of child care institutions and children, who have been restored to families from these institutions.
'Provide the necessary infrastructure, books and other equipment necessary for online classes on the basis of recommendations made by the District Child Protection Units within a period of 30 days from today,' the bench ordered.
The bench further ordered to ensure the required number of teachers in these institutions.
UNI JW RJ 2044