Maharashtra government launched a special mission called “Mission Vatsalya” in order to help women who lost their husbands to COVID-19.

• Mission Vatsalya will provide several services and some 18 benefits under one roof to those women.
• It been designed for widows, with special focus on widows coming from rural areas, poor backgrounds and deprived sections.
• Under this mission, schemes like Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana and Gharkul Yojana will benefit those for women.

Amid the covid-19 pandemic, about 15,095 women lost their husbands in last 18 months. District Task Force has listed 14,661 such women in order to provide them benefits of the scheme.

This mission is being implemented by women and child development (WCD) Department. Officers from WCD department, child development project officers, Anganwadi workers and local unit officers are visiting homes these women to provide them services. As of now, WCD department has reached out to 10,500 women.

Maharashtra witnessed some 4,355 new coronavirus cases and 119 fatalities on August 24, 2021. As of August 24, infection tally stands at 64,32,649 and while total reported death at 1,36,355.

This scheme was launched with the aim of providing financial assistance to destitute persons, disabled, blind, divorced women, women freed from prostitution, orphan children, persons suffering from major illnesses, Transgender, etc. Each Beneficiary gets Rs 600 per month while the family with more than one beneficiary gets Rs 900 per month. This benefit will be given to beneficiary till their children turns 25 years old or when they get employed.