Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi released benefits under the ‘PM CARES For Children’ scheme via video conferencing.
The PM CARES Fund (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) was established in 2020.
It is a specialized fund with the primary goal of responding to any emergency or distress situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing relief to those impacted.
PM CARES for Children Scheme
The Prime Minister launched the PM CARES for Children Scheme on May 29, 2021.
- It aims to help children who have lost both their parents or legal guardians, adoptive parents, or surviving parents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic between March 11th, 2020, and February 28th, 2022.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) has been tasked with implementing the PM CARES for Children scheme in partnership with stakeholder Ministries, States, and District Administration.
Benefits Of the Scheme:
i.The scheme provides Rs.4,000 per month for basic requirements, as well as financial assistance for schooling, a higher education scholarship.
ii.PM CARES also provides educational loans to children for professional courses or higher education.
iii. A monthly stipend will be provided to those who lost their parents in the pandemic and are between the ages of 18 – 23 years, and they would be given Rs.10 lakh when they turn 23 years.
iv.A passbook of PM CARES for Children and a health card for treatment up to Rs.5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana are also provided to the eligible children.
Highlights:
i.There were 9,042 applicants across 33 states and 611 districts, according to the dashboard on the PM CARES for Children website. Of them, 4345 were approved across 31 states and 557 districts.
ii.According to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 3,945 children received Rs. 7.89 crore in scholarships under the PM CARES for Children scheme in 2022–23.
- Under the scholarship, Children will get an annual allowance of Rs.20,000, which will include a monthly allowance of Rs.1,000 and an annual academic allowance of Rs.8,000, which will cover all school fees, books, uniforms, and shoes.
- The scholarship will also be eligible for those children who have lost both the parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parent to COVID-19 pandemic.
iii. The government has created an online portal, http://pmcaresforchildren.in/, to register children. The portal is a single-window system that streamlines the approval procedure and all other assistance for children under the scheme.
About Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD):
Union Minister – Smriti Zubin Irani (Amethi Constituency, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai (Surendranagar Constituency, Gujarat)