What is PM CARES for Children Scheme and what are the benefits? Understanding 10 key points

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 30) released benefits under the PM CARES for Children Scheme via video conferencing. Prime Minister transferred scholarships to school going children. A passbook of PM CARES for Children, and health card under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will be handed over to the children during the programme was also given.

What is PM CARES for Children Scheme and what are the benefits under the scheme: Here are 10 key points

1. The objective of the PM CARES for Children Scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children in a sustained manner by providing them boarding and lodging, empowering them through education and scholarships, equipping them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on attaining 23 years of age and ensuring their wellbeing through health insurance. 

2. PM CARES for Children Scheme covers all children who have lost: i) Both parents or ii) Surviving parent or iii) 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. 

3. To be entitled to benefits under this scheme Child should not have completed 18 years of age on the date of death of parents.

4. 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.  

5. 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.

6. The lump sum amount will be transferred directly in the post office account of beneficiaries upon opening and validation of the account of the beneficiaries.

7. Besides the fixed deposit in the name of the child, free elementary school education, free high school education and support for higher education are also available for children under PM CARES Scheme.

8. The scheme is accessible through the online portal https://pmcaresforchildren.in. Any Citizen can inform the administration regarding a child eligible for support under this scheme through the portal.

9. The portal is a single window system which facilitates approval process and all other assistance for children.

10. All children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. It shall be ensured that the child identified under PM CARES for Children scheme receives benefits under PM-JAY.