Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the dropout rate among girls in primary education in Bengal is now zero, down from 3.60 percent in primary and 4.57 per cent in upper primary in 2011–12.
“Is it not a matter of pride that Bengal has drastically reduced dropout rates not only in primary but also in secondary and higher secondary (HS) levels? In secondary, it has dropped from 16.32 per cent to 2.9 per cent, and in HS from 15.41 per cent to 3.17 per cent,” Banerjee said at the state-level programme marking Kanyashree Day.
She said over 93 lakh girls have benefited from the Kanyashree scheme since its launch in 2013, with the state spending Rs 17000 crore. Reading a poem dedicated to Kanyashree girls, she expressed hope the scheme would reach 1 crore beneficiaries next year, to be marked with a special celebration.
Banerjee recalled receiving the United Nations Public Service Award at The Hague in 2017, when Kanyashree ranked first among 552 projects from 62 countries.
“The Kanyashree girls prove there is nothing women cannot achieve,” she said, urging parents not to pressurise daughters into early marriage. “Allow them to be self-reliant and carve a niche for themselves. Girls can run a family, lead a country, lead the world—there is nothing impossible for them,” she added.
North Dinajpur, Bankura, East Burdwan, West Burdwan and Jhargram were awarded as the top five performing districts for 2024–25. Barisha Girls’ High School, Behala Sarada Vidyapith for Girls, and Uccha Balika Vidyamandir for Girls, along with Bangabasi College, Vivekananda College for Women, and Asutosh College, were recognised for contributions to Kanyashree. Outstanding achievers were also felicitated.
The celebration at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium began with the Kanyashree theme song, written and composed by Banerjee. She cut a symbolic ‘sondesh’ cake with Kanyashree girls, and released the 2024–25 Annual Report highlighting district-wise achievements. As in previous years, Kanyashree Day was marked across Kolkata and all districts.
During the programme, Banerjee also announced that 12 lakh Class IX students will receive bicycles under the Sabooj Sathi scheme at month end, with an expenditure of Rs 525 crore. So far, 1.38 lakh students have benefited, with total spending at Rs 4800 crore.
Meanwhile, Mamata reiterated that she will fight “till her last breath” against any attempt to snatch people’s freedom of speech, movement, and fundamental rights, accusing the BJP of pushing a divisive agenda across the country.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo opposed the proposed implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal, alleging it was a ploy to disqualify genuine voters and send them to “detention or concentration camps.”
“This is my pledge on the eve of Independence Day. We, the people of Bengal, were on the forefront of the freedom movement. Our revolutionaries gave their lives along with others across the country. In Andaman’s Cellular Jail, you will see the names of a large number of freedom fighters from Bengal who were imprisoned there,” she said.
“Where was the RSS and the BJP then? We won’t allow them (BJP government) to snatch our freedom to speak, freedom of movement, or curb our liberty,” she added.