Lok Sabha Question No. 2064 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Comprehensive Policy For Orphaned Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Pritam Gopinath Munde, Sajda Ahmed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2064

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## COMPREHENSIVE POLICY FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN

2064.   SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT: SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED

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

- (a) whether  the  Union  Government  plans  to  provide  long-term  solutions  for  children orphaned due to COVID-19 pandemic, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Union Government has sought the views of the State Governments to find the solution of orphaned children, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there is a need to formulate a national level comprehensive policy for livelihood of the orphaned children; and
- (d) if so, the steps taken by the Union Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (d) The children in distress situations merit care and protection under the provisions of the Juvenile  Justice  (Care  and  Protection  of  Children)  Act,  2015.  The  Act  and  Rules  made thereunder mandate a safety net of service delivery structures along with institutional and noninstitutional  care  for  these  children. The Ministry  is  implementing  a  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme namely Child Protection Services (CPS) in partnership with the State Governments/UT Administrations for delivering the institutional and non-institutional care as stipulated under the JJ Act. As per the scheme guidelines, maintenance grant of Rs.2000/- per child per month is available for non-institutional care (including Aftercare after the age of 18 years) of children in need  of  care  and  protection,  along  with  the  provision  of maintenance  grant  of  Rs.2160/-  per child per month for Children living in Child care Institutions.

The Ministry regularly engages with the States/UTs to coordinate the efforts in the best interest of  children.  The  Ministry  has 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 JJ  Act  2015  and  Rules  thereunder,  while  leveraging  the  facilities  funded  under  the  Child protection  Services  scheme.  The  Ministry  has  also  issued  advisories  and  guidelines  for encouraging  COVID  appropriate  behavior,  monitoring  of  Child  Care  Institutions  and  coping strategies  during  COVID  times  for  mental  health  support  to  children  and  care  givers.   A guideline  providing  a  responsibility  matrix  defining  the  role  of  primary  duty  holders  has  also been shared with the States/UTs

Hon'ble PM 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 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 form 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. The  portal  has  been  introduced  to  all  the  States  and  UTs  on 15.07.21. Any Citizen can inform the administration regarding a child eligible for support under this scheme through the portal.

****