Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana | 28 Sep 2024

Why in News?

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of children in Madhya Pradesh faced the devastating loss of their parents.

• The state government promised financial aid and free education for Madhya Pradesh's Covid orphans, but many of these commitments remain unfulfilled, leaving the children in distress.

Key Points

• In May 2021, the then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that children who lost their family’s sole earning member to Covid-19 would receive Rs.5,000 per month and free education.
• This initiative aimed to provide some relief to the affected families and ensure that the children could continue their education without financial burdens.
  • Despite these promises, many beneficiaries have not received financial assistance for over a year.
• The government had introduced two schemes for these children: the Sponsorship Scheme and the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana. Under these schemes, each child was entitled to Rs. 5,000 per month.
  • However, the disbursement of funds has been inconsistent, with many children not receiving any money since January 2023.
• The children were also promised Ayushman Bharat cards to cover their healthcare costs.
  • However, many of these cards have not been activated, leaving the children without the promised medical support.