New home for destitutes

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 1 JULY: The social welfare department will set up a “cottage home” for destitute boys in Malda. The department sanctioned the project on 23 June, and plans to inaugurate it on 15 July at Vivekananda Pally in English Bazaar town.

The district welfare officer, Mr PK De, described the reasons behind the decision: “we did not have a home for boys. Facing such difficulties, we used to send destitute boys to another home located at Balurghat in South Dinajpur or in Cooch Behar.

Previously, when the district child welfare committee and police rescued destitute boys, there were problems in providing shelter for them in Malda. However, after the inauguration of the cottage home, that problem will be resolved. According to Mr De, a local non-governmental organisation has been selected to run the home with the financial help of the state government.

The state government will bear expenses of Rs. 900 out of the Rs. 1,000 required for each boy per month in order to provide food and other basic amenities, including education. The NGO will bear the remaining Rs. 100. The government will also bear the costs of the rent of the building hired by the NGO, and the costs of its staff, which include teachers, counselors, cooks, helpers, superintendents, and doctors.The home will run with a capacity of twenty. The department has plans to increase the accommodation capacity to 50 boys in the future.

The destitute boys will receive normal education, as well as vocational training, within the campus the cottage home.