PM CARES for Children Scheme

Context: Recently, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India has extended the PM Cares for Children Scheme till 28th February, 2022. 

• Earlier the scheme was valid till 31st December, 2021. All eligible children can now be enrolled till 28th February, 2022 to avail benefits of PM CARES for Children Scheme.

About PM CARES for Children Scheme

• The Scheme was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on 29th May 2021 for the Children.
• It aims to support children who have lost both the Parents or legal Guardian or Adoptive Parents or Surviving Parent to COVID-19 pandemic during the period starting from 11th March 2020.

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.
• The objective of the scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children who have lost their parent(s) to COVID pandemic, in a sustained manner, enable their wellbeing through health insurance, empower them through education and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age. 

The scheme offers a corpus of Rs. 10 lakh to each of these children from the PM CARES fund.

• 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.

The PM CARES for children scheme inter-alia provides support to these children through 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.

• The scheme is accessible through the online portal. All States/UTs have now been asked to identify and register the eligible children on the portal till 28th February, 2022. Any Citizen can inform the administration regarding a child eligible for support under this scheme through the portal.