The COVID-19 orphaned students will get a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 a month, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The monthly stipend will be disbursed under the PM CARES for Children Scheme. PM Modi said, "If someone needs an education loan for professional courses, or for higher education, then PM Cares will help in that too. Rs 4,000 have also been arranged for them every month through other schemes for other daily needs." "The youth from 18-23 years of age will get a stipend every month and when they are 23 years old, they will get the amount of Rs 10 lakhs," he added.
The Prime Minister also issued PM CARES for children pass book, and health card under Ayushman Bharat who have lost their parents due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the children via video conferencing, PM Modi said, "I am taking to you not your Prime Minister but as a member of your family. I know how difficult the situation is for people who have lost their family members during the Covid-19 pandemic."
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 of Rs 10 lakh on attaining 23 years of age and ensuring their well-being through health insurance.
Also the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has decided to provide scholarship assistance to such children who have lost both their parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parent to Covid. Accordingly, a new Scheme was formulated for the purpose namely, Scholarship For PM CARES Children. Under this scheme, scholarship allowance would be Rs 20,000 per child per annum, an official statement added.
The portal "http://pmcaresforchildren.in/" is a single window system that facilitates approval process and all other assistance for children under the scheme.
- With PTI Inputs