Baby orphaned in HP floods now ‘child of state’

Ten-month-old Nikita, orphaned by flash floods in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district that claimed her parents and grandmother, has been declared a “child of the state.” The government has pledged full support for her upbringing, education, and professional studies. Under the Mukhyamantri Sukh-Aashray Yojana, she will receive Rs 4,000 monthly until she turns 27, with additional support provided to other affected children in the district.