Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the web-based portal pmcaresforchildren.in to facilitate submission of applications, identification of children eligible to receive support under the ‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme and processing of applications for securing benefits to them. The module on child registration and identification of beneficiaries has been made functional.
‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme aims to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children who have lost their parents to the COVID pandemic, in a sustained manner. It enables their wellbeing through health insurance, empowers them through education and equips them for self-sufficient existence with the financial support of Rs. 10 lakh, on reaching 23 years of age.
The Ministry has asked the chief secretaries of all states/administrators of all union territories to direct the district magistrates in their states to identify the children eligible for receiving support under the ‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme and populate the pmcaresforchildren.in the portal with the details of eligible children. This task needs to be completed within the next 15 days. The Ministry has also requested the state chief secretaries/administrators of UTs to personally monitor the progress of data entry in the portal.
All children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian/adoptive parents due to the COVID 19 pandemic, starting from 11.03.2020 till the end of the pandemic, shall be entitled to benefits under this scheme. The District Magistrate will conduct a drive for identification of these children, with the assistance of police, DCPU, Childline & Civil society Organisations. Gram Panchayats, Anganwadi & ASHA network may be sensitized to report such children to the CWC.