NEW DELHI: About 51% of the applications under the PM CARES for Children scheme, which supports COVID orphans, have been rejected, officials report.
The PM CARES for Children Scheme, launched on May 29, 2021, aims to aid children who lost their parents, legal guardian, adoptive parents, or a surviving parent to COVID-19 between March 11, 2020, and May 5, 2023.
Official data reveals that 9,331 applications from 613 districts across 33 states and union territories (UTs) were submitted under the scheme. However, only 4,532 applications from 558 districts in 32 states and UTs were approved. Meanwhile, 4,781 applications were rejected, and 18 are still pending approval, according to the Women and Child Development Ministry.
The ministry has not provided specific reasons for the rejections.
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of applications, with 1,553, 1,511, and 1,007 submissions, respectively. Approval rates in these states include 855 from Maharashtra, 210 from Rajasthan, and 467 from Uttar Pradesh.
The scheme aims to provide comprehensive care and protection for these children, offering health insurance, educational support, and financial assistance until they turn 23 years old.
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