Lok Sabha Question No. 1481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-10
Subject: PM CARES for Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Arvind Kumar Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1481

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2023

## PM CARES FOR CHILDREN

## 1481. DR. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether only 4,345 applications out of total 9042 registered on PM CARES for Children portal, have been approved by the District Magistrates;
- (b) if so, the criterion on which the remaining applications have been rejected or not approved;
- (c) whether the follow-up action and regular review is being done for implementation of the above scheme so that the welfare of the targeted children may be ensured; and
- (d) the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b) : As per the guidelines of PM CARES for Children Scheme, all children are eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme, who have lost :

- i. both parents or
- ii. surviving parent or
- iii. legal guardian/adoptive parents/single adoptive parent due to COVID-19 pandemic, starting from 11.03.2020 the date on which WHO has declared and characterised COVID-19 as pandemic, shall be entitled to benefits under the scheme and
- iv. child should not have completed 18 years of age on the date of death of parents.

A total of 9042 applications were registered on PM CARES for Children Portal, out of which 4345 children were found eligible under the guidelines and have been provided benefits under the Scheme.

(c) & (d) : Yes Sir.  The Ministry regularly follows up with the State/ UT Governments so  as  to  ensure  implementation  of  the  Scheme.   The  Juvenile  Justice  (Care  and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015) (as amended in 2021) has empowered the Child Welfare Committee to decide on matters relating to children in need of care and protection including children covered under PM CARES for Children Scheme for their  best  interest.  Section  27  of  JJ  Act,  2015  provides  the  State  Government  to constitute one or more Child Welfare Committees for every district, for exercising the powers and to discharge the duties in relation to children in need of care and protection under the Act.

The District Magistrates are authorized to monitor the PM CARES for Children scheme. They also act as guardians of the children for the purpose of implementation of the Scheme. The major roles of the District Magistrates are to (i) identify, register and verify the children with the assistance of Child Welfare Committees and District Child Welfare Units, (ii) identify the account of the children, (iii) open the accounts, (iv) transfer the funds to the children account, (v) update the profile of the children on the portal, (vi) interact with the children at least once in a year, (vii) review the education and health parameters  of  the  children  (viii)  organize  supplementary  education  and  career counselling facility to the children and (ix) provide benefits to the children under existing schemes of the Government, as per eligibility.

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