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File No. CS-WMC-003 · Central Scheme · Ministry of Women & Child Development

PM CARES for Children

Long-term financial security, education and healthcare support for children who lost their parents or legal guardian to COVID-19.

Note: this scheme is specific to a defined eligibility window — children who lost a parent/guardian due to COVID-19 in the period beginning 11 March 2020. It is not a general orphan-support scheme; applications are still processed for eligible cases from that period, but new applicants must fall within this specific eligibility criterion.

What this scheme offers

Launched on 29 May 2021, PM CARES for Children builds a financial corpus for each eligible child, structured to reach ₹10 lakh by the time the child turns 18. A pro-rata amount is credited upfront on approval, and the full ₹10 lakh corpus is invested to generate a monthly stipend paid to the beneficiary from age 18 to 23. Beyond the financial corpus, the scheme covers school admission and fees (in a Kendriya Vidyalaya, government school, or private school as applicable) or supports continued private schooling if the child was already enrolled, higher education support (education loans with government-covered interest, or scholarship access for professional courses), and health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY until age 18. The scheme is administered through State/District Child Protection authorities, working with the Ministry of Women & Child Development.

Who is eligible

  • A child who lost both parents to COVID-19.
  • A child who lost their surviving parent to COVID-19 (in cases where one parent had already died before the pandemic).
  • A child who lost their legal guardian or adoptive parent to COVID-19.
  • Must be under 18 years of age, with the loss occurring within the notified eligible period beginning 11 March 2020.

Documents required

  • Death certificate(s) of parent(s)/guardian, showing COVID-19 as a contributing cause (or documentation linking the death to the eligible period)
  • Child's birth certificate
  • Aadhaar card of the child (or application for one, if not yet issued)
  • Guardianship documents, if the child is now under the care of another relative or guardian

How to apply

  1. Contact your District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) or the local Child Welfare Committee (CWC) — they are typically the first point of contact for identifying and registering eligible children.
  2. Submit the required death certificate(s), the child's birth certificate, and any guardianship documentation.
  3. The application is verified locally and forwarded to the state and central authorities for approval.
  4. Once approved, the pro-rata corpus amount is credited, and the child is registered for linked education and health insurance benefits.
  5. Check pmcaresforchildren.in or contact Childline (1098) for current application status or guidance.

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