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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an important meeting to discuss and deliberate on steps which can be taken to support children who have lost their parents due to COVID-19.
He announced a number of benefits to children impacted by the current COVID Pandemic.
While announcing these measures, the Prime Minister emphasized that children represent the future of the country and the country will do everything possible to support and protect the children so that they develop as strong citizens and have a bright future.
The Prime Minister said that in such trying time, it is our duty as a society, to care for our children and instil hope for a bright future.
All children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to COVID-19 will be supported under PM-CARES for Children scheme.
He also added that the measures being announced have only been possible due to the generous contributions to the PM CARES Fund which will support India’s fight against COVID-19.
Under the PM-CARES for Children scheme contribution through a specially designed mechanism will be done to create a corpus of Rs. 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 18 years of age.
This corpus will be used to give a monthly financial support from 18 years of age, for the next five years to take care of the grown up kid’s personal requirements during the period of higher education.
On reaching the age of 23 years, he or she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum for personal and professional use.
For children under 10 years, the child 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.
It will also pay for expenditure on uniform, text books and notebooks.
For children between 11-18 years, the child will be given admission in any Central Government residential school such as Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya.
If the child is admitted in a private school, the fees as per the RTE norms will be given from the PM CARES.
PM CARES will also pay for expenditure on uniform, text books and notebooks.
In case of 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 for undergraduate or vocational courses as per Government norms will be provided to such children under Central or State Government Schemes.
For children who are not eligible under the existing scholarship schemes, PM CARES will provide an equivalent scholarship.
All children beneficiaries under the scheme will be enrolled under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs. five lakh .
The premium amount for these children till the age of 18 years will be paid by PM CARES.
