Karnataka has enrolled 216 children orphaned by Covid-19 on the PM-CARES for Children portal, although the scheme stopped enrolling new beneficiaries on February 28.
Among the 110 boys and 106 girls, 57 would turn 23 in the next six years and are eligible for Rs 10 lakh from the PM-CARES fund. The children will also get free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat scheme till they turn 18 for, which the premium will be paid by PM-CARES.
So far, 14 children have availed health insurance under Ayushman Bharat, while Beneficiaries of State Bala Seva Yojane have also been linked to PM-CARES.
Under CM Bala Seva Yojane, Rs 3,500 a month has been paid to children who lost both parents/single parent/breadwinner to Covid-19. As on March 7, the state has paid Rs 41.89 lakh to 193 children.
Children aged below 10 without caretakers/guardians should be handed to registered Child Care Institutions (CCI). Three children have so far been handed to CCI.
Fifty-five children who have passed Class 10 are eligible for a laptop for higher/vocational education under the Yojane, while 33 girls who will turn 21 in the next four years will get Rs 1 lakh for higher education, self-employment or marriage. Seventy six mentors, three of whom are teachers, have been appointed to look after the all-round development of children.
“We have prepared an elaborate action plan to identify and rehabilitate Covid-19- affected children in need of the state’s care and protection,” said K S Latha Kumari, director, Integrated Child Development.
The plan would work in two stages. The first stage will be identification of Covid-affected children in need of the state’s care and protection, while the second stage is rehabilitation, both short and long term.
“Letters have been issued to all districts to identify children who have lost one or both parents to Covid with the help of the health department, panchayat raj institutions, police department, NGOs, anganwadi workers, and Asha workers,” Kumari said.
District Child Protection Officers have been instructed to help Covid patients in the age group of 18-65 who have children in need of care and protection, as per the need of the family and the child.
“The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also developed the Bal Swaraj portal to upload information concerning the children in need of care and protection directly from the district,” according to Kumari.
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