The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has informed the Supreme Court that over 75,000 children have either lost one parent or became an orphan during the Covid-19 pandemic and are in need of care and protection. In an additional affidavit, the child rights body said the number of children who have lost either their mother or father or both parents between April 1, 2020, to July 23, 2021, is based upon the information uploaded on "Bal Swaraj" portal up to July 23.

The child rights body said total of 75,320 children have become orphans or lost either parent amid the pandemic, and this also includes 247 children, who were abandoned. It said that of all the children affected due to the pandemic, those in the age group 8-13 years were the highest, at 29,886. Elaborating on data collected from various states, the NCPCR said in Maharashtra, 13,589 children were affected, followed by Odisha where 6,562 children were affected, and Andhra Pradesh, where 6,210 children were affected.