PM CARES Fund, Government of India

The Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund is a public charitable trust set up on 27 March 2020 to deal with emergency or distress situations including the COVID-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister chairs the trust which operates with the Defence Minister, Home Minister, and Finance Minister as ex-officio Trustees. The PM CARES for Children Scheme is a flagship welfare initiative under the fund, providing comprehensive support to children who lost parents or legal guardians to COVID-19 between 11 March 2020 and 5 May 2023. The scheme guarantees education, monthly stipend, health insurance, and a Rs. 10 lakh corpus that matures when the child turns 23. Scheme implementation is coordinated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Eligible children receive scholarship support of Rs. 20,000 per year for school education from Class 1 through 12, free education and boarding at Kendriya Vidyalayas and other government schools, and Ayushman Bharat health insurance coverage.