The Centre has rejected about 51 per cent of the applications received under the PM CARES for Children scheme for COVID orphans, according to officials. The PM CARES for Children Scheme was launched on May 29, 2021, at the peak of the Covid-19 cases in India to support children who lost their parents, a legal guardian, adoptive parents, or a surviving parent to the pandemic between March 11, 2020 to May 5, 2023.
Under the scheme, a total of 9,331 applications from 613 districts across 33 states and union territories (UTs) were received, according to official data, reported PTI.
However, of the total applications, only 4,532 applications from 558 districts in 32 states and UTs were approved, while 4,781 applications were rejected and 18 are pending approval, according to the data shared by the Women and Child Development ministry official with the news agency.
No specific reason has been given by the ministry for the rejection.
Among the states, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of applications, with 1,553, 1,511, and 1,007 applications, respectively.
Approval rates in these states stand at 855 applications from Maharashtra, 210 from Rajasthan and 467 from Uttar Pradesh.
The scheme aims to ensure comprehensive care and protection of these children in a sustained manner and to provide health insurance, educational empowerment and financial support until they reach 23 years of age.
The Opposition has been critical of the scheme saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre has extorted money through the PM Cares Fund. During the Lok Sabha election campaign in March, Tamil Nadu Chief Miniter MK Stalin said that the "secrets" behind the PM Cares Fund would be exposed if the INDIA bloc would come to power.
"Just like electoral bonds, they have extorted money through another means and that is the PM Cares Fund. We will expose its secrets when the INDIA bloc comes to power in June," Stalin said during a rally in Tiruchirappalli.