Over 69 lakh girls provided financial support through Kanyashree scheme

Kolkata: At least 69 lakh girls in the state have been benefited till date through the Kanyashree scheme of the Mamata Banerjee government.

Besides ensuring a check in the school dropout rate, the initiative has helped in bringing a social change in Bengal as cases of child marriages has considerably dropped since it was introduced.

On the National Girl Child Day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Today is #NationalGirlChildDay.In Bengal, #KanyashreeScheme has empowered the girl child & was awarded 1st prize in public service by @UN in 2017. More than 69 Lakh girls have been provided financial support from school to university level for their education under this scheme." It may be recalled that Kanyashree Prakalpa was awarded the first prize in the United Nations Public Service Award for Asia Pacific at The Haguein Netherlands in 2017.

Under the scheme, an annual scholarship of Rs 750 each is given to the girls in the age group 13 to 18 years those studying in Class VIII and above. Again, a one-time grant of Rs 25,000 is given if the beneficiary continues studies without getting married till the age of 18 years. Later, the scheme was extended for the girls going to colleges.

The project was the brainchild of the Chief Minister to empower girls. The assistance provided to girls to continue their studies through the scheme has also made lakhs of girls self-dependent.

The state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare department that is the nodal department for the project has brought additional 2.97 lakh girls under the scheme through Duare Sarkar camps. A section of girls who were left out from getting enrolled under the scheme has been brought under the same to provide them with similar benefits through the state's biggest outreach drive.