NFCH to help children affected by violence in Manipur

Imphal, Aug 22: The Secretary of National Foundation for Communal Harmony(NFCH) KC Kumar today said an autonomous organisation under the Union Home Ministry would be helping children affected by violence in Manipur.

Maximum assistance was granted to Jammu and Kashmir and the focus was now on Manipur. The foundation has been in the past assisting children throughout the country.

The foundation needs the State Governments' assistance in finding the children and the district administrations can submit a report to the foundation so that help can be provided, Mr Kumar said.

The NFCH was established in 1992 with the main objective to provide assistance for physical and psychological rehabilitation of the child victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence etc. for their education and training he said.

The foundation aims to undertake programmes for providing assistance to such child victims whose lives were ripped apart by communal, caste or ethnic violence and clashes that fracture social harmony.

A corpus fund of Rs 10 crore from the Ministry of Home Affairs, raising donations through the Central or State Governments, Educational institutions, PSUs, donations under 100 per cent deduction were raised and Rs 800 per month per child in class A and B cities was given. A bank account was opened in the name of the District Committee, NFCH, and operated by two of the officers nominated by the DC,DM. The assistance was paid in advance in the first quarter of the academic year.

The Secretary said there was need to popularise the scheme throughout the country and added that a child is eligible if he or she becomes an orphan or destitute by losing either or both parents or the main bread earner or is permanently incapacitated in such communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence, and no one to take care of, until he or she attains the age of 18 years. District Level Committee, comprising DC or DM with SSP or DSWO or District Child Women District Officer would identify the child or verify the eligibility and the mode of payment of assistance and recommend the case to NFCH.

UNI