The Mukhyamantri Bal Seva Yojana (MBSY) is a flagship child welfare scheme of the Government of Uttar Pradesh aimed at providing financial, educational, and social security support to children who have lost their parents or guardians and are in vulnerable circumstances. Initially launched in 2021 for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the scheme was later expanded to cover other categories of vulnerable children through the Mukhyamantri Bal Seva Yojana (General) component.This scheme is turned out to be one of Yogi government’s most important child welfare initiatives. By combining monthly financial assistance, free education, digital inclusion, higher education support, and marriage assistance, the scheme provides a comprehensive safety net for orphaned and vulnerable children. Its expansion from COVID-affected children to a wider group of disadvantaged youngsters has significantly broadened its social impact and strengthened childprotection efforts in the state.The scheme seeks to:
- Ensure the care and protection of orphaned and vulnerable children.
- Prevent school dropouts due to financial hardship.
- Provide long-term educational support.
- Facilitate rehabilitation and social integration of affected children.
- Enable children to become self-reliant and lead dignified lives.
Salient Features and Benefits1. Monthly financial assistance
COVID category: Children aged 0–18 years who lost one or both parents due to COVID-19 receive Rs 4,000 per month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).General category: Vulnerable children who lost parents or guardians due to reasons other than COVID-19 receive Rs 2,500 per month.
2. Free education: Free admission and residential education in Atal Residential Schools and Kasturba Gandhi Residential Schools up to Class XII. Educational continuity support for affected children.
3. Digital learning support: Students studying in Class IX and above are provided tablets/laptops to support digital education.
4. Marriage assistance for girls: Eligible girl beneficiaries receive ₹1.01 lakh financial assistance at the time of marriage.
5. Higher education support
The General category was expanded to support:
- Students pursuing graduation or diploma courses.
- Successful candidates of competitive examinations such as NEET, JEE, and CLAT.
- Children from especially vulnerable family situations, including children of divorced or abandoned women, children whose parents are in jail, and children rescued from child labour, begging, or exploitation.
Eligibility
- The scheme covers:
- Children who lost one or both parents due to COVID-19.
- Orphaned children and children without adequate parental support.
- Children living in difficult circumstances identified by the state government.
- Permanent residents of Uttar Pradesh.
Major achievements so far:1. Comprehensive social security for COVID-affected children: The scheme became one of the first large-scale state interventions in India for children orphaned during the pandemic, ensuring financial support, education, and rehabilitation under a single framework.
2. Thousands of beneficiaries covered: Government and media reports indicate that: More than 4,500 children orphaned due to COVID-19 have been covered under the scheme across Uttar Pradesh. In the Prayagraj division alone, 716 COVID-affected children and about 3,000 other vulnerable children were receiving benefits under the scheme in 2024.
3. Expansion beyond COVID: A major achievement has been the transition from a pandemic-response scheme to a broader child- protection programme through the General category, extending benefits to a much larger group of vulnerable children.
4. Educational continuity: The provision of dree residential schooling, digital devices, higher education support, has helped ensure that children do not discontinue education due to the loss of parents or economic distress.
5. Support from Childhood to AdulthoodThe scheme covers multiple life stages:
- Childcare and upbringing
- School education,
- Digital learning
- Higher education
- Marriage assistance for girls, creating a long-term support framework rather than a one-time relief measure.
