Question : Portal for Children Orphaned Due to COVID-19

(a) whether a large number of Indian children lost their primary caregivers to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021;
(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of children orphaned and funds allocated to orphanages during the last two years, State-wise;
(c) whether it is a fact that the Government created a portal for recording children orphaned by COVID-19;
(d) if so, the total number of cases shared in the said portal as on date; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to give care to orphaned children whose details were uploaded in the said portal indicating the number of orphaned children benefited from Government scheme so far, State/UT-wise?

(a) to (d) : The Hon''ble Prime Minister has announced PM CARES for Children scheme to support children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian or adoptive parents due to COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme is accessible through an online portal i.e. pmcaresforchildren.in. The applications of such children are uploaded on the portal by the State / UT Governments. As on 02.12.2021, 5491 applications have been uploaded on the portal out of which, 3049 applications have been approved by District Magistrates after due process and 483 applications are pending for approval.

The scheme provides support for education and health and will 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/ stipend from 18 years of age, for the next 5 years to take care of his or her personal requirements during the period of higher education and on reaching the age of 23 years, he or she will get the corpus amount as one lump-sum for personal and professional use. The scheme is accessible through an online portal i.e. pmcaresforchildren.in.



(e) : The Ministry is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely Child Protection Services (CPS) Scheme under which support is provided to States and UT Governments for delivering services for children in need and difficult circumstances. The Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the CPS scheme support inter-alia age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. and equally covers rural and urban children. As per the scheme guidelines, quantum of sponsorship of Rs.2000/- per child per month is available for Non-institutional Care of children in Need of Care and Protection and the provision for maintenance grant of Rs.2160/- per child per month for children living in Child Care Institution.

The Ministry asked States and UTs to take immediate action for care and protection of children adversely impacted by COVID 19, in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Rules thereunder, while leveraging the facilities funded under the Child Protection Services scheme. The Ministry also issued advisories and guidelines for encouraging COVID appropriate behaviour, monitoring of Child Care Institutions and coping strategies during COVID times for mental health support to children and care givers. A responsibility matrix defining role of primary duty holders at all levels from State to Panchayati Raj Institutions was also shared with States/UTs.

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