Orphan children in India face formidable challenges, navigating a landscape marked by limited resources and societal stigma. With millions left parentless due to factors such as poverty, disease, and abandonment, these vulnerable youngsters often lack proper healthcare, education, and emotional support. NGOs and governmental initiatives strive to provide shelters and educational opportunities, yet the sheer scale of the issue demands continued efforts. Addressing the unique needs of orphaned children, the Madhya Pradesh Government launched the “Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana”. In this article, we will talk about the scheme in detail.
What is Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana?
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana is a financial assistance scheme by the Madhya Pradesh Government for orphan children in the state. Under this scheme, the orphan children will get aftercare and financial assistance from the government. Women and Child Development Department of MP will serve as the nodal department for the implementation of the scheme.
Under the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana, assistance will be provided in two categories:
- Aftercare (children who are out of the care center/orphanage now)
- Sponsorship (who are living with their relatives or guardians)
The complete details on Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana eligibility, Benefits, Documents Required and other important things will be discussed below.
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana 2023 | |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Launch Date | September 15, 2022 |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Official Website | MBAY Official Website |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Objective | To provide financial assistance and scholarships to the eligible orphaned children of the state |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Age Limit | Upto 18 years of age (Scholarship)18 Ashirwad 24 years of age (Sponsorship) |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Beneficiares | Orphan children who live in childcare institutions or with relatives’ or guardians’ houses. |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Income Support for AFTER Scheme | Rs 5000 Per Month |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Income Support for Sponsorship Scheme | Rs 4000 Per Month |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Duration | 1 to 2 years |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Nodal Department | Women and Child Development Department |
| Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Helpline | [email protected] |
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Objective
The objectives of the scheme are twofold:
- To economically and educationally support individuals aged 18 and above who have left childcare institutions (aftercare) and reintegrate them into society.
- To provide financial assistance (sponsorship) to orphaned children up to the age of 18 who are living with their relatives or guardians, enabling them to lead their lives with economic support.
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Benefits
- Mujhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana extends significant support to underprivileged children in Government Ashrams.
- Children who have exited the orphanage or caretaking institutions will receive various assistance like Internships, vocational training, and other training for various competitive examinations.
- Children exiting Bal Ashrams will receive Rs. 5,000 for internships under the AFTER Care scheme for up to 1 year.
- Underprivileged children will avail of various scheme benefits, including Ayushman Yojana under the sponsorship scheme.
- Financial assistance of Rs 4000 will be provided to cover livelihood expenses for the children.
- The scheme aims to enhance education opportunities for underprivileged children, ensuring a brighter future.
- This scheme ensures that each orphan child receives every assistance to make them empowered so that they can gel into society with confidence.
Eligibility Criteria for Aftercare:
- Children eligible for the AFTER scheme must have resided in a childcare institution for a continuous period of 5 years, including the year of release.
- Orphaned or abandoned children may receive a relaxation in eligibility criteria regarding the required residence period in a childcare institution.
- For those not benefiting from adoption or foster care, but have been rehabilitated in a child care institution, the period spent in adoption or foster care will also be considered in the eligibility period.
Aftercare Provision Process
- Identification of Eligible Candidates: Children meeting the specified criteria will be identified.
- Assessment and Approval: The eligibility of the children will be evaluated, and those meeting the criteria will be approved for the Aftercare scheme.
- Tailored Support:
- Eligible individuals will receive personalized support, including financial assistance, internships, vocational training, and education.
- This support will be provided for a specified period or until they reach 24 years of age, whichever comes earlier.
This delineates the criteria and process for the Aftercare component of the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana in Madhya Pradesh.
Financial Assistance and Free Education Assistance under Aftercare:
Under the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana, the eligibility criteria for receiving assistance for interns (care leavers released from childcare institutions) are as follows:
Internship:
The Industry Department will identify eligible care leavers mentioned in the list received from the District Child Protection Officer and the Department of Women and Child Development. Internships will be provided by identifying industrial institutions/establishments recognized by the department for possible employment.
During the internship period, financial assistance of 5,000 rupees per month will be provided until the completion of the internship or one year, whichever is earlier. However, the assistance period will not exceed one year in any case.
Vocational Training:
Vocational training in government institutions offering diploma programs in polytechnics, ITIs, paramedical courses, nursing, hotel management, tourism, and Prime Minister/Chief Minister Skill Development, among others, will be provided free of cost by the relevant department.
During the vocational training period, financial assistance of 5,000 rupees per month will be provided until the completion of the training or two years, whichever is earlier. However, the assistance period will not exceed two years in any case.
Educational Assistance for Technical, Medical, Ayush, and Legal Education:
- Care leavers gaining admission to government/private institutions based on entrance exams such as NEET, JEE, or CLAT will receive financial assistance ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 rupees per month during the study period.
- The tuition fees will be borne by the state government as determined by the Fee Regulatory Authority.
- The categorization of care leavers and the determination of financial assistance in each category during the study period will be conducted by a state-level committee formed under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary.
- This outlines the financial and educational support provided under the Aftercare component of the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana in Madhya Pradesh.
Application Process under Aftercare:
Identification and Individual Care Plan:
- The Director/Manager of each childcare institution will identify children who have reached the age of 17 and are residing in the childcare institution.
- Individual Care Plans will be prepared for these children, outlining their personal care and development plan.
Compilation of Lists and Database:
- Separate lists and databases will be created for children going for internships, receiving vocational training, and pursuing higher education in industrial institutions.
Review by the Committee:
- The committee formed under the scheme will review and approve the cases after the examination process.
- Approval orders will be issued annually for each beneficiary, and the entire process will be completed in advance. Approval orders will be issued through the portal.
The outlined process ensures that eligible care leavers are identified, their plans are customized, and the entire procedure, including the committee review and approval, is efficiently carried out. The use of a portal facilitates the issuance of approval orders for each beneficiary under the Chief Minister Bal Ashirwad Yojana in Madhya Pradesh.
Eligibility under the Sponsorship Scheme:
Children under the age of 18 from resident families in Madhya Pradesh, whose parents are deceased and are under the care of relatives or guardians, and who are not eligible under the Chief Minister COVID-19 Child Service Scheme, are eligible under the Sponsorship Scheme.
Assistance under the Sponsorship Scheme:
Financial Assistance:
Each eligible child under the scheme will receive a monthly financial assistance of 4,000 rupees. This amount will be deposited in the joint account of the child and the relative or guardian and will be accumulated for a minimum period of 1 year. The assistance period may be extended if there is no improvement in the financial condition of the child or family, but the assistance will not be provided beyond the age of 18.
Medical Assistance:
For medical assistance, an Ayushman card will be created for each child by the Health Department. The District Program Officer, Women and Child Development Department will provide necessary information, including the list of children, to the Chief Medical and Health Officer for the creation of Ayushman cards.
This outlines the eligibility criteria and the assistance provided under the Sponsorship Scheme of the Chief Minister Bal Ashirwad Yojana in Madhya Pradesh.
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Portal:
All applications along with documents under the scheme will be received through the Bal Ashirwad Portal. The application process will be free of cost.
Under the Aftercare scheme, applications will be submitted on the portal with the assistance of caretakers through the directors/management of childcare institutions.
Procedure for Benefiting under the Sponsorship Scheme:
- The District Program Officer/District Child Protection Officer (Women and Child Development Department) is responsible for identifying families eligible for the scheme and contacting them to fill out applications. All benefits will be provided through the portal.
- The District Child Protection Unit will prepare a report on the child’s home study and the family’s social investigation report in the format prescribed in the Madhya Pradesh (Sponsorship) Guidelines, 2020.
- After checking the home study report, social investigation report, and other documents, a list of such children will be prepared and sent to the Child Welfare Committee.
- Based on the examination and assessment of the social investigation report and other documents by the District Child Protection Officer, the Child Welfare Committee will declare the children in need of care and protection.
- Only those children declared by the Child Welfare Committee as in need of care and protection will be eligible under the scheme.
- The list of all designated children will be sent by the District Child Protection Officer to the Committee along with the home study and social investigation report for recommendation.
- The Sponsorship Scheme will benefit only those children for whom the Child Welfare Committee has declared the need for care and protection. The list of all designated children will be sent by the District Child Protection Officer to the Committee along with the home study and social investigation report for recommendation.
- The determination of the continuous or discontinuation of benefits under the scheme for the family/child’s well-being will be done by the committee formed under the scheme. Approval orders will be issued annually for each beneficiary through the portal, and the entire process will be completed well in advance.
Committees Formed Under the Scheme
State Level Committee:
A State-level committee will be chaired by the Chief Secretary responsible for amending provisions and determining financial aid, and educational assistance. The structure of the StateAshirwadlevel Committee will be as follows:
- Chief Secretary: Chairperson
- Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary (Member Secretary, Women and Child Development)
- Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary: Members (Finance, Industries, Higher Education, Technical Education, Social Justice)
District Level Committee:
The following committee will do approval of cases at the district level:
- Collector: Chairperson
- District Program Officer, Women, and Child Development: Secretary
- Chief Executive Officer, District Panchayat: Member
- Deputy Director, Social Justice: Member
After the committee formed under the scheme is approved, orders will be issued by the Committee’s Secretary.
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Budget
The necessary financial provision for the implementation of the scheme will be made in the budget of the Women and Child Development Department.
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana Monitoring and Evaluation
- Follow-up of beneficiaries under Aftercare will be conducted monthly by the District Child Protection Unit. Continuous follow-up of care leavers will be done by the District Child Protection Unit.
- For beneficiaries under the sponsorship scheme, after the follow-up, evaluation, social investigation report, individual care plan, and assessment of the family’s situation, a report for each child will be prepared by the District Child Protection Unit.
- Based on the evaluation of the report, the District Child Protection Officer will send the report to the Committee, recommending either the discontinuation of financial aid or the continuity of benefits.
- For monitoring the beneficiaries under the scheme, the Officer-in-Charge of rehabilitation will be responsible, for ensuring regular data entry on the portal, monitoring, and facilitating the resettlement of children through employment and self-employment.
- Every 3 months, the District Child Protection Unit, caretakers, and children will include issues and departmental coordination challenges in the effective implementation of the scheme.
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana FAQs
What is Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana?
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana is a welfare scheme launched by the MP Government for the orphan children of the state. Under this scheme, financial support as well as sponsorship will be provided to them to make them empowered.
What are the benefits of AFTERCARE under Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana?
Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana will provide various benefits under the After Care scheme.
1. Internship – Rs 5000 Per Month
2. Vocational Training
3. Educational Assistance – Rs 5000 to Rs 8000 Per Month for NEET/JEE or CLAT
Is there any age limit provided under Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana?
Yes, for the sponsorship scheme, you must be under the age of 18, However, to take the benefit of the After Care scheme, you have to be above 18 years of age.
What are the eligibility criteria for the After Care scheme under the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana?
To take the benefit of Mukhyamantri Bal Ashirwad Yojana, the beneficiary must stay in the caretaking institutions or Bal Ashrams for at least 5 years. Other than that, he must not be a beneficiary of the MP Covid-19 Child Care Scheme.
