COVID new update: PM-CARES for Children’s scheme, announces PMO for the orphaned by COVID-19.
The Government announces that all the children who have lost both parents, legal guardians, or adoptive parents to Covid-19 will receive financial assistance under the PM-CARES for the children’s scheme.
PM Cares will contribute through a specially designed plan to create a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when they reach 18 years of age.
The corpus will be used to give a monthly stipend from 18-23 years of age to meet the personal needs of the child during the higher education period.
Upon turning 23, the child will receive the corpus amount as a lump sum for personal and professional use.
Moreover, the government extended pension coverage under the (ESIC) Employees’ State Insurance Corporation scheme to all registered dependents of those who die due to Covid-19.
The family pension under ESIC and EPFO’s Employee Deposit-Linked Insurance Scheme will provide a financial cushion to those families who have lost their salaried member due to Covid-19.
India is witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and according to the government around 577 children orphaned in this wave from April 1 to May 25.
The Prime Minister emphasized that children represent the future of country and the country will do everything possible to protect and support the children.
The prime minister added that the measures being announced have only been possible thanks to generous contributions to the PM Cares Fund that will support India’s fight against Covid.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Scheme to create a corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 18 years of age.
- Orphaned children will receive monthly financial support or stipend once they turned 18 and a fund of 10 lakhs when they turn 23.
- The government will ensure free education for such children.
- Free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat till 18 years and premium will be paid a part of the scheme.
The decision made by the prime minister to deliberate on the impact of the pandemic on children and how to mitigate it.
The prime minister added that the measures being announced have only been possible thanks to generous contributions to the PM Cares Fund that will support India’s fight against Covid.
Education Relief For Children by PM CARES fund
- Children below 11 years will get admission to the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as day scholars and
- However,For 11-18 years of children can take admission in any central government residential school like Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya, etc.
- PM CARES will pay the fees, expenditure on uniforms, textbooks and, notebooks.
- Similarly, children who are under the care of any Guardian/grandparents/extended families, then he or she will be given admission to the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or a private school as day scholars and PM care will pay for the expenditure.
- Regarding the higher education of these children, the government will assist them easily in obtaining a loan, the interest on which will be paid from the PM-CARES fund.
Health Benefits and Scholarships for the Children
- All the Covid-19 orphans will enroll themselves as a beneficiary under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakhs.
- As per government norms, in addition, students get an alternative, scholarships equivalent to tuition fees or course fees for undergraduate and vocation courses.
- Moreover, for the children who are not eligible under the existing scholarship schemes, PM-CARES will provide an equivalent scholarship.
The amount of the premium for these children, up to the age of 18, will be paid by PM-CARES.
The Prime Minister said that “in such trying times it is our duty, as a society, to care for our children and instill hope for a bright future.
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