Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that girl students who have secured 45 per cent marks in graduation will get financial assistance between Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per month under Kanyashree.
She was addressing the gathering to celebrate the success of Kanyashree at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The Bengal government's Kanyashree received global acclaim after being awarded the first prize in the United Nations Public Service Award for Asia Pacific. Out of 552 initiatives from 62 different countries, Bengal government's initiative — a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at retaining girls in schools and other educational and skill development institutions and preventing early marriage — was adjudged the best.
The Chief Minister said: "The project that was launched on October 1 in 2013 has so far provided financial assistance to 52.09 lakh girl students up to class XII. Now we have decided to extend the project to provided financial assistance for girl students carrying on with their studies in universities."
"A girl studying in arts stream in post graduation and has secured 45 per cent marks will get Rs 2000 per month and those studying in science stream will get Rs 2500," she said adding that it will help girls to carry on with their studies at post graduation level.
Students don't have to worry anything as the state government is providing all support to carry on with their studies from childhood to higher education.
Recollecting her college days she said: "I didn't seek help from anyone despite having only one exercise book while studying in college. Instead, I continued to struggle to get established in life."
One must keep in mind that it is not a crime to be poor, or be born into a poor family. But we have to overcome poverty."
Urging the girls present in the programme to retain a positive outlook on life, Banerjee said: "There is no scope for negative feeling in life. One may not be good in studies, but the same boy or girl can be good in something else like technical education, sports, etc."
Quoting Tagore: "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high", the Chief Minister encouraged the girl students to keep moving ahead overcoming all hurdles in life.
She also conveyed the message of humanity and said that there should not be any division among people.
Banerjee said the sudarshan chakra of Sri Krishna was for the protection of people and not to create divisions among them. "There can be nothing above humanity. I expect that all my Kanyashree friends will work for harmony, peace, prosperity and culture," she said.