4,345 Covid orphans rehabilitated under PM Cares: Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, December 9
So far 4,345 children orphaned during Covid 19 pandemic have been rehabilitated under the PM CARES for Children scheme, with the highest numbers from Maharashtra.
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani informed Lok Sabha on Friday that Maharashtra reported the highest numbers — 790 — of children orphaned during Covid, followed by 441 in UP, 428 in Madhya Pradesh, 394 in Tamil Nadu, 351 in Andhra Pradesh, 256 in Telangana, 221 in Jharkhand and 206 in Rajasthan.
From Haryana 93 orphans have been rehabilitated so far; 24 from Himachal Pradesh; 17 from J-K, 38 from Punjab and 44 from Uttarakhand.
The Ministry has received 75 more applications which will be processed soon.
The PM Cares for Children scheme supports the children, who have lost both parents or surviving parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to Covid 19.
pandemic. The objective of the Scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protectionof children in a sustained manner, and enable their wellbeing through health insurance, empower them through education and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support till 23 years of age. After attaining the age of 23 years, the children covered under the scheme get a lump-sum amount of Rs 10 Lakh.
