4,418 children benefited from PM Cares Scheme, Smriti Irani tells Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: A total of 4,418 children benefited from the Prime Minister Cares Scheme (PM CARES) scheme till August 8, informed Smriti Zubin Irani, the union minister for women and child development, in Lok Sabha on Friday.

The scheme was launched on May 29, 2021. Under the scheme, children who lost both parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parent to COVID-19 pandemic during the period from March 11, 2020 to February 28, 2022 were supported by the scheme.

The question was asked by Dilip Saikia, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadia and Devji Patel, all MPs of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In February, Irani had informed parliament that Rs 341.87 crore were credited to the accounts of 4,345 eligible children under PM Cares.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had also written individual letters to 4,000 beneficiaries of the scheme.

State-wise beneficiaries

As per the written response, Maharashtra had the highest number of beneficiaries – 836 – followed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

PM Cares: 5 states with highest number of beneficiaries

Child care institutions

Irani also informed parliament that a total of 2,305 child care institutions (CCI) were funded by the Mission Vatsalya Scheme till March 31. Around 221 CCIs were funded in Tamil Nadu – highest amongst all states – followed by 164 in West Bengal and 156 in Rajasthan.

Mission Vatsalya Scheme was launched by the ministry of women and child development which aims to ensure safety and child security in India through the Child Welfare and Protection Committee (CW & PC) and child care institutions.