PM Cares Fund: Rs 346 Cr used for over 4,500 kids orphaned during Covid-19, says report

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The PM CARES for Children Scheme, launched in 2021 to support children orphaned during the Covid-19 pandemic, has reportedly spent Rs 346 crore on the welfare of 4,543 children, according to the latest audited statement of the fund for 2022-23. The Scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 29, 2021, aimed to support children who had lost both their parents, legal guardian, adoptive parents, or surviving parent to the Covid between March 11, 2020 and May 5, 2023.

It aims to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children in a sustained manner, enable their well-being through health insurance, empower them through education, and equip them for a self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age. The scheme supported children from 558 districts in 31 states in the country. The majority were from Maharashtra (855), followed by Uttar Pradesh (467), Madhya Pradesh (433), Tamil Nadu (426), and Andhra Pradesh (351), according to media reports.

The scheme provides financial support of Rs 10 lakh for all children, support for boarding and lodging to ensure rehabilitation of all children, admission in schools, educational loans for higher education, health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh, and a scholarship of Rs 20,000 per child per annum for all school-going children from Class 1 to Class 12. The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on children, ranging from loss of routine life, inability to go to school, and facing anxiety to loss of loved ones to Covid-19. Many children were reported to have lost both parents to the pandemic.

The PM CARES scheme offers comprehensive support for proper education, a monthly stipend till the age of 18 years, and a lump-sum amount of Rs 10 lakh on turning 23 years of age. The welfare of children comes under the ambit of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD). Thus, the responsibility of anchoring the PM CARES for Children scheme, in collaboration with stakeholder ministries, states, and district administration lies with the WCD.