On Saturday, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi announced a good news for all the children that have unfortunately been orphaned due to the death of their Parents or Guardians due to Covid.
The PM announced that the Children will be supported under the “PM-CARES for Children” Scheme.
Such children will get a monthly stipend once they turn 18 and a fund of ₹10 lakh when they turn 23 from PM-CARES, said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to a release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Let us have a look at the Key Benefits announced:
- A monthly financial support/ stipend from 18 years of age, for the next 5 years.
- At the age of 23 years, he/she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum of Rs 10 lakh for personal and professional use.
- Free education to be ensured for children who lost their parents to Covid.
- Free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat till 18 years & premium will be paid by PM CARES.
- Foe children under 10 – they will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
- For children between 11-18 – they will be given admission in any Central Government residential school such as Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya etc.
- In case the child is to be continued under the care of Guardian/ grandparents/ extended family, then he or she will be given admission in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar.
- If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
- For Higher Education – The child will be assisted in obtaining education loan for Professional courses / Higher Education in India as per the existing Education Loan norms.
- The interest on this loan will be paid by the PM CARES.
- As an alternative, scholarship equivalent to the tuition fees / course fees for undergraduate/ vocational courses as per Government norms will be provided to such children under Central or State Government Schemes.
- For children not eligible under the existing scholarship schemes, PM CARES will provide an equivalent scholarship.
While making an announcement of these measures, PM Modi emphasized on the point that it is the young generation who will be the representatives of the country and hence, the country will do anything and everything possible to support and protect the children.
The PM said that in such trying times it is our duty, as a society, to care for our children and instil hope for a bright future.
