PM CARES for Children Scheme

PM CARES was launched by PM Modi on May 29, 2021 to support children who have lost both their parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parent to the Covid-19 pandemic, during the period starting from March 11, 2020 and ending on February 28, 2022.

It is under Ministry of Women & Child Development

What is the objectives of the scheme?

• To ensure comprehensive care and protection of Children in a sustained manner, and enable their well-being through health insurance, empower them through education and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age.

PM CARES for Children Scheme Detail in Hindi

How the children are identified for PM CARES ?

• The children were identified by the District Magistrates (DMs) with the assistance of police, District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) and civil society organisations.

Who is the implementing agency of the scheme?

• Ministry of Women and Child Welfare is the nodal ministry for looking after the welfare of Children in India.

Key features of the scheme

1.a )Financial Support:

• Pro-rata amount credited in the account of each identified child such that the corpus for each child becomes Rs. 10 lakhs at the time of attaining 18 years of age. For the children above 18 years of age, Rs 10 lakhs has been deposited in Monthly Income Scheme of post office.
• Children will receive monthly stipend once they attain 18 years of age, by investing the corpus of Rs. 10 lakhs into Monthly Income Scheme of post office.
• Children would receive an amount of Rs. 10 lakh on attaining 23 years of age.
• Ex-gratia of Rs. 50,000 per deceased parent from State Disaster Response Fund has been provided to children as per directions of Ministry of Home Affairs

1.b)Support for Boarding and Lodging

 1.c) Assistance for School Education:

• For admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) or Private school as a day scholar.
• Six supernumerary seats in all KVs have been reserved for these children.
• Scholarship of Rs. 20,000/- per annum is being provided to school-going children of class 1-12 under the scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

1.d) Assistance for Higher Education:

• Children can also avail the benefits of ‘Swanath Scholarship Scheme for Students’  of Rs. 50,000/which is being implemented by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to study further in AICTE approved Institutions and courses
• These children are also covered under the initiative of AICTE, “Kaushal Augmentation and Restructuring Mission of AICTE” (KARMA), for all AICTE approved institutions in the country to overcome the dual challenge of scarcity of skilled manpower in jobs and low skill level of those who are presently in jobs.
• Two supernumerary seats in Polytechnic institutions have been created for these children.
• Interest on the educational loan will be paid by the PM CARES.

1.e) Health Insurance:

• All children have been enrolled under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per annum per child.
• Premium amount for these children till the age of 23 years will be paid by PM CARES.
• Health cards (PM-JAY Card) for children have been delivered to all the District Magistrates for distribution.

Other Details.

Child Dashboard

• Children are being given a login ID for viewing a personal dashboard on the PM CARES for Children portal, which indicates their entitlements and services being provided to them.

Portal – PM CARES for Children

• ‘PM CARES for Children’ is an integrated portal for child registration, validation, fund transfer, benefits available to children under various components of the scheme and grievance redressal.
• It developed by Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund)’

PM CARES Fund has been registered as a Public Charitable Trust. The trust deed of PM CARES Fund has been registered under the Registration Act, 1908 at New Delhi on 27th March, 2020.

Objectives :

• To undertake and support relief or assistance of any kind relating to a public health emergency or any other kind of emergency, calamity or distress, either man-made or natural, including the creation or upgradation of healthcare or pharmaceutical facilities, other necessary infrastructure, funding relevant research or any other type of support.
• To render financial assistance, provide grants of payments of money or take such other steps as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees to the affected population.
• To undertake any other activity, which is not inconsistent with the above Objects.

Constitution of the Trust :

• Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the PM CARES Fund and Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Finance, Government of India are ex-officio Trustees of the Fund.
• The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees (Prime Minister) shall have the power to nominate three trustees to the Board of Trustees who shall be eminent persons in the field of research, health, science, social work, law, public administration and philanthropy.
• Any person appointed a Trustee shall act in a pro bono capacity.

Other details :

• The fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals/organizations and does not get any budgetary support. The fund will be utilised in meeting the objectives as stated above.
• Donations to PM CARES Fund would qualify for 80G benefits for 100% exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Donations to PM CARES Fund will also qualify to be counted as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013
• PM CARES Fund has also got exemption under the FCRA and a separate account for receiving foreign donations has been opened. This enables PM CARES Fund to accept donations and contributions from individuals and organizations based in foreign countries. This is consistent with respect to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). PMNRF has also received foreign contributions as a public trust since 2011.

Other posts

• FAME India | Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India

• Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya: Museum on Indian Prime Ministers Detail

• Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission

• GK Questions For GK Questions