50 kids of parents with criminal records to get help for education

PUNE: City-based Adarsh Mitra Mandal will sponsor the education of 50 children whose parents had criminal records and who have died an unnatural death. The Dattawadi police station is helping them finalise the list of boys and girls which will be completed over the next fortnight.
Uday Jagtap, president of the Adarsh Mitra Mandal, told TOI: "Society tends to look upon the children of parents with criminal records very differently.The children are hardly responsible for what their parents did. However, it is essential to give these children adequate and timely assistance with their education so as to ensure that they do not go astray. Many of these children live with widowed mothers or relatives, and are facing dire economic conditions, hence, the idea of sponsoring them."
Jagtap said the project was part of the Adarsh Mitra Mandal's efforts to reduce instances of crime in the city.
The other initiatives of the group include the vocational rehabilitation of 25 youths who have completed their jail terms, as well as provision of 1.5 acre of farming land each to three families of former criminals in Shikrapur.
While ten children, whose families live in the Dattawadi area, have already been identified with the help of the Dattawadi police station, the social group is on the lookout for 40 more names from various areas in the city that could benefit from the programme.
"Since we are taking on children between 6 to 14 years, it is a long-standing commitment from our side. We plan to open bank accounts in their names, and deposit the school fees there," he said.
However, the educational sponsorship is subject to their academic performances, which would be reviewed twice a year, after the mid-term examination and the annual examination respectively.
For children scoring between 35 and 50 per cent, there is a 30 per cent scholarship; for children scoring between 50 to 80 per cent, the Adarsh Mitra Mandal will take on half their educational expenses.
But those who score over 80 per cent will receive a 100 per cent scholarship, said Jagtap.
Vijaysinh Gaikwad, senior police inspector at the Dattawadi police station told TOI: "The ten children identified under the jurisdiction of our police station will also be able to benefit from computer training once a week. At this age, their pick-up would be fast, and it is an essential skill to possess in this day and age."
Jagtap said: "We would be able to better assess the specific needs of the children as we go on. From personality development to career guidance, we would like to extend every assistance to ensure they do not drop out of school."
The scheme is meant for students studying in Marathi medium schools.