577 kids orphaned during 2nd wave: WCD

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has said that 577 children across the country have been orphaned in the past 55 days after their parents succumbed to Covid-19. According to the reports, the identified children are under the care of their immediate family members.

Taking to Twitter, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani wrote: “the Government is committed to support and protect every vulnerable child due to loss of both parents to Covid-19”. From 1st April 2021 till 2:00 PM today, the State Governments & UTs across the country have reported 577 children whose parents succumbed to Covid-19.”

India reported 2,08,921 new Covid-19 cases and 4,157 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this the country’s overall caseload has risen to 2,71,57,795, while the death toll is presently at 3,11,388.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi targeted the Centre over the shortage of Covid vaccines. She alleged that vaccines in India were a means for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "personal publicity" rather than a tool to save people's lives.

This was so from the beginning of the pandemic, the Congress general secretary said in posts on Twitter and Facebook. She also alleged that the Modi government has pushed the country into a "swamp of vaccine shortage" and left India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, dependent on vaccine donations from other countries.

Accusing the government of maintaining a slow rate of vaccination, Priyanka Gandhi said only 11 per cent of India's 130 crore population has received the first dose of vaccine against Covid and only 3 per cent have been fully vaccinated.