Nongpoh, May 30: Along with the rest of the country, the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District in collaboration with the office of the District Child Protection Officer, District Child Protection Unit, ICPS also took part in the release of benefits under PM CARES for children scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday via video conferencing.
The PM CARES for children scheme was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on the May 29, 2021 for children who have lost their parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parent to Covid-19 pandemic during the period starting from March 11,2020 up to February 28, 2022.
The aim and objective of the scheme is to support and ensure comprehensive care and protection of children in a sustained manner and enable their well-being through different key features like health insurance, empower them through education and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age.
As per the scheme, a financial support of Rs 10 lakh, boarding and lodging, assistance for school education and higher education, health insurance and scholarship of Rs. 20,000/- for school going children will be covered to supports those children who have lost both the parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parents to Covid-19 pandemic. During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that scholarships and other benefits under the scheme have been released.
In the meantime, as part of the event, the Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi District, Arpit Upadhyaya also handed over the PM CARES for two of the school children within Ri Bhoi District, namely, Ms Baphindaburom Shylla, a student of Class VII and Master Hambert Sohphoh of Class VI hailing from Umbir village of Ri Bhoi District. Both the school going children have lost their parents due to Covid-19 pandemic.