108 children from state get PM CARES benefits

Berhampur: The state’s 108 children, who had lost their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic, received the PM CARES for Children Scheme benefits that Prime Minister Narendra Modi released through a video conference on Monday. The beneficiaries belong to 26 districts.
The highest number of beneficiaries hail from Kalahandi district (10), followed by Gajapati (8) and seven each from Khurda, Bolangir and Bargarh. Only one child received the benefits from Kandhamal district. Ganjam, which was identified as a Covid-19 hotspot and registered several deaths, has no beneficiary.
Besides offering scholarships, the Prime Minister asked district collectors to hand over the PM Cares for Children Scheme passbook, the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana health card and a letter to the schoolchildren.
The PM CARES for Children Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on May 29, 2021, to support children who lost both their biological parents/legal guardians/adoptive parents to the pandemic from March 11, 2020, to February 28, 2022.
The scheme aims to ensure comprehensive care and protection to children by providing them boarding, education and scholarships to be self-sufficient, besides health insurance and financial support of Rs 10 lakh on attaining 23 years of age.
Gajapati collector Lingaraj Panda handed over the benefits to children at a function at Paralakhemundi.