On Kanyashree Divas, CM relives 'historic moment'

Kolkata: It was June 24 when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's brainchild Kanyashree Prakalpa took Bengal to the world stage bagging the first prize in United Nations Public Service Award for Asia Pacific in The Netherlands. On Kanyashree Divas, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday tweeted the photograph of the proud moment when she received the award. "Kanyashree is now Bishwa Shree... Greetings to all on Kanyashree Dibas," the Chief Minister wrote. It may be recalled that soon after the change of guard in the state, Banerjee had said that a day will come when Bengal will be at the top of the world and within six years after coming to power it has become true with the success of Kanyashree Prakalpa.

Since the project was introduced, every year Kanyashree Divas is celebrated on August 14 in which beneficiaries of the project, who become successful in different fields, are awarded. The project was launched on October 1, 2013 and so far financial assistance to 52.09 lakh girl students up to Class XII has been provided.

It may be recalled that this year a programme was organised at Netaji Indoor Stadium on July 28 from where the Chief Minister had announced that girl students studying in universities who have secured 45 percent marks in graduation will get financial assistance varying anything between Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per month under the scheme. The schemes have brought a sea change in the lives of girls in the state as a considerable fall in dropout rates in schools and at the same time child marriages have also been checked.