Scholarship under PM CARES for Children Scheme as on 31.01.2023

Scholarship under PM CARES for Children Scheme as on 31.01.2023

1600. SHRI SUNIL BABURAO MENDHE

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to start scholarship under the PM CARES for Children scheme in the country, if so, the details thereof and the criteria set under this scheme;

(b) the details of the targets set and the amount earmarked and released to various States including Maharashtra under the scheme; and

(c) if not, the time by which it is likely to be implemented?

(a) to (c) : PM CARES for Children scheme has been launched to support children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the Scheme is 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 till 23 years of age. The scheme is accessible through an online portal i.e. pmcaresforchildren.in. An amount of Rs. 341.87 Crores has been credited to the accounts of children including Maharashtra under the Scheme. Benefits given to 4345 eligible children including 790 children in Maharashtra under the Scheme.

As per the guidelines of PM CARES for Children Scheme, all children are eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme, who have lost :

• both parents or
• surviving parent or
• 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 characterised COVID-19 as pandemic, shall be entitled to benefits under the scheme and
• child should not have completed 18 years of age on the date of death of parents.

 A pro-rata amount has been credited in the post office account of each identified child in such a manner that the corpus for each child becomes Rs.10 lakhs at the time of attaining 18 years of age. Children are entitled to receive monthly stipend between the age of 18 and 23 years, by investing the corpus of Rs.10 lakhs into Monthly Income Scheme of Post Office. They are entitled to receive the amount of Rs.10 lakh on attaining the age of 23 years. Children staying with relatives are receiving Rs.4000/- per month under Mission Vatsalya Scheme. Under the scheme, provision has been made for admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan/Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya or Private Schools. Further, annual scholarship of Rs.20,000/- per child have been provided to 3962 school going children of class 1-12, as on 31.01.2023. As per PM CARES for Children portal, State-wise details of children of class 1-12, as on 31.01.2023, who have received scholarship is at Annexure-I.

Children are also assisted in obtaining education loan for Professional courses / Higher Education in India for which interest is borne by PM CARES Fund. All children have been enrolled under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojna (AB PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs.5 lakh. The coverage of health insurance would be provided till they attain the age of 23 years.

Children can also avail the benefits of ‘Swanath Scholarship Scheme for Students’ which is being implemented by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to study further in AICTE approved Institutions and courses. Under the scheme, Rs.50,000/- per annum is provided to each student for every year of study (i.e. maximum 4 years for first year admitted Degree students and maximum 3 years for Diploma Students) as lump sum amount towards payment of college fee, purchase of computer, stationery, books, equipment, software etc. 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.

ANNEXURE – I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (C) TO THE LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.1600 FOR ANSWER ON 10.02.2023 ASKED BY SHRI SUNIL BABURAO MENDHE REGARDING SCHOLARSHIP UNDER PM CARES FOR CHILDREN SCHEME

Sl. No.	States/UTs	No. of children of Class 1- 12 received Scholarship
1	ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS**	0
2	ANDHRA PRADESH	316
3	ARUNACHAL PRADESH	7
4	ASSAM	47
5	BIHAR	69
6	CHANDIGARH	12
7	CHHATTISGARH	98
8	DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI & DAMAN & DIU	12
9	DELHI	129
10	GOA	6
11	GUJARAT	205
12	HARYANA	84
13	HIMACHAL PRADESH	22
14	JAMMU & KASHMIR	17
15	JHARKHAND	45
16	KARNATAKA	205
17	KERALA	106
18	LADAKH**	0
19	LAKSHDWEEP**	0
20	MADHYA PRADESH	390
21	MAHARASHTRA	727
22	MANIPUR	18
23	MEGHALAYA	11
24	MIZORAM	14
25	NAGALAND	12
26	ODISHA	101
27	PUDUCHERRY	11
28	PUNJAB	37
29	RAJASTHAN	191
30	SIKKIM**	0
31	TAMIL NADU	343
32	TELANGANA	225
33	TRIPURA**	0
34	UTTARAKHAND	40
35	UTTAR PRADESH	411
36	WEST BENGAL	51
	Total	3962

**No child eligible under the Scheme.

*****