DW BUREAU / PATIALA: As per the directions of the Supreme Court, the District Child Protection Units have been directed to provide benefits of welfare schemes to the children who have lost either or both the parents due to Covid-19. The matter was taken up by Rajinder Aggarwal, District and Sessions Judge in the monthly meeting of Juvenile Justice Board to ensure the compliance of above said directions. A legal awareness programme/camp was held at the Bar Room, District Courts here in collaboration with the district administration and Bar Association. This programme was organized for the welfare of those children who lost either or both the parents due to Covid-19. During the programme, Rajinder Aggarwal, District and Sessions Judge, said that this programme was organized to ensure that those children, who had lost either or both the parents due to Covid-19, are getting benefits of different schemes being run by Central or State governments. Further, people were made aware about the PAN India Awareness and Outreach programme. They were also made aware about the categories of persons who are entitled for free legal services under Section 12 of Legal Services Authority Act, 1987 i.e. a member of SC/ST, a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar, a woman, a child, a victim of a mass disaster, an industrial workman, a person in custody, person having physical or mental disorder and persons whose annual income is not more than three lakh. Besides they were also made aware about the mode of legal services and how legal services can be availed at Taluka, District, High Court and Supreme Court Level or Sub-Division Level. On this occasion, Parminder Kaur, CJM/Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, informed that this programme was organized for ensuring that benefits of all welfare schemes of Central and State governments are being provided to the children or not. She further revealed that as per report of DCPO, Patiala, financial aid to 128 children, widow pension to 26 women, old age pension to 4 persons have been sanctioned and total 68 ration cards/smart cards and 61 Ayushman cards have been issued so far. (editor@dailyworld.in)