100 schools identified for Sukanya project

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police is targeting 100 schools in the city for Sukanya project, which is an initiative to train girls in martial art forms such as taekwondo, judo, kick-boxing and aikido. The training will start from March. Last year, 56 schools in the city were roped in the project.

"The Sukanya project covers those schools that come under Kanyashree scheme. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in August 2018 had removed the family income cap for the beneficiaries of Kanyashree scheme thus widening the reach of the plan. So we are eyeing at least 100 schools this year, which is nearly double in comparison to last year," said Satyajit Bandyopadhyay, officer on special duty (OSD) of Kolkata Police's community policing wing on the sidelines of Community Policing Annual Sports at Alipore Bodyguard Lines on Monday. Shashi Panja, the minister of state for Women & Child Development and Social Welfare, was the chief guest at the programme.

According to Bandyopadhyay, the challenge is to have professional and quality trainers for the scheme to ensure that the true purpose of the training is served.The Kolkata Police had introduced the project in February 2014 in collaboration with state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare department. The police had witnessed success and were able to provide an international platform to a number of girls.

The Sukanya girls had won five golds, two silvers and two bronze medals at the in Kick Boxing World Cup in Russia in September 2016. The training had started with girls of Classes VIII, IX and XI and later it was extended to first-year girl students in colleges. The training session is held in consultation with the respective schools and colleges so that there is no problem with the academic activities of the beneficiaries.

The training session is for four months but there is no restriction on those who want to continue with it.

Interestingly, a section of trainees, even took up kickboxing as a career option and they are still continuing with their training. The project trains girls in Taekwondo, Judo, Kick Boxing and Aikido. The Bidhannagar Commissionerate, Howrah Commissionerate and Barrackpore Commissionerate had also rolled out the Sukanya scheme in their respective areas from the end of 2017.