New Delhi, 23 March 2022: The Hon’ble Prime Minister has announced PM CARES for Children scheme to support children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme is accessible through an online portal i.e. pmcaresforchildren.in. The applications of such children are uploaded on the portal by the respective State/ UT Governments. As on 21.03.2022, total 8995 applications have been uploaded on the portal and 4305 approved by District Magistrates after due process. The State/UT-wise details of approved Children including Uttar Pradesh on PM CARES for Children scheme portal is at Annexure-I.
The Ministry is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely Child Protection Services (CPS) Scheme – Mission Vatsalya under which support is provided to States and UT Governments for delivering services for children in need of care and in difficult circumstances. The Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the CPS scheme support inter-alia age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, sponsorship etc. The Ministry has issued advisories and guidelines for encouraging COVID appropriate behaviour, monitoring of Child Care Institutions and coping strategies during COVID times for mental health support to children and care givers.
Further, PM CARES for Children Scheme inter alia provides support to the children through convergent approach, gap funding for ensuring education, health, monthly stipend from the age of 18 years, and lump sum amount of Rs.10.00 lakh on attaining 23 years of age. As per the Guidelines of PM CARES for Children Scheme, the Ministries and Departments i.e. Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), Ministry of Education (Department of School Education & Literacy and Department of Higher Education), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Minority Affairs and Department of Posts, are facilitating the scheme and also ensuring that the facilities and services due to the children under the PM CARES for Children Scheme under their schemes and programmes are delivered to the children as per their needs.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.