Ministry of Women launches web based portal to facilitate ‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme

What is the News?

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the web based portal “pmcaresforchildren.in” to facilitate submission of applications, identification of children eligible to receive support under the ‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme.

About PM CARES for Children Scheme:

• The PM CARES for Children Scheme was announced by the Government of India.
• Aim: The scheme aims to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children who have lost their parents to COVID pandemic in a sustained manner.

Eligibility for the Scheme: All children who have lost

• Both parents or
• Surviving parent or
• legal guardian/adoptive parents due to COVID 19 pandemic, starting from March,2020 till the end of pandemic shall be entitled to benefits under the scheme.

Benefits under the Scheme:

Financial Assistance of Rs.10 Lakh:

• A corpus of Rs. 10 lakh will be allocated to each of these children from the PM CARES fund.
• This corpus will be used to give a monthly stipend from 18 years of their age for the next five years.
• On reaching the age of 23 years, he or she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum for personal and professional use.

Education Expenses of Children:

• The education expenses of younger children will be supported by way of admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas and private schools up to higher secondary level.
• These children will also be supported during their higher education through either a scholarship equivalent to the tuition fees or educational loans where the interest on the loan will be paid by the PM-CARES fund.

Health Insurance:

• All children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme with a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh.
• The premium amount will be paid by PM-CARES till a child turns 18.