The Ministry of Women and Child Development on Tuesday extended the PM Cares for Children Scheme till 28th February 2022. All eligible children can now be enrolled till 28th February 2022 to avail benefits of the PM CARES for Children Scheme.
What is PM CARES for children scheme?
The PM CARES for children scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29th May 2021.
It aims to provide comprehensive support to children who have lost both their parents or legal guardians or Adoptive Parents or Surviving Parents to the COVID-19 pandemic during the period starting from 11th March 2020.
PM CARES Fund under the scheme has been registered as a Public Charitable Trust under the Registration Act, 1908 at New Delhi on 27th March 2020.
Ministry of Women and Child Welfare is the nodal Ministry for looking after the welfare of Children in India.
The Ministry has been entrusted with the responsibility of anchoring the PM CARES for Children scheme, in collaboration with stakeholder Ministries, States, and District Administration.
Objectives of PM CARES Scheme
The objective of the PM CARES Scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protection of Children in a sustained manner.
It aims to secure their well-being through health insurance, empower them through education and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age.
It provides support to these children through a convergent approach, gap funding for ensuring education, health, monthly stipend from the age of 18 years, and lump sum amount of Rs. 10 lakhs on attaining 23 years of age.
Eligibility under PM CARES Scheme
The scheme covers all children who have lost:
- Both parents or
- Surviving parent or
- legal guardian/adoptive parents/single adoptive parent due to COVID 19 pandemic, starting from 11.03.2020 the date on which WHO has declared and characterized COVID-19 as pandemic till 28.02.2022.
To be entitled to benefits under this scheme Child should not have completed 18 years of age on the date of death of parents.