On 11th Kanyashree Diwas, CM assures assistance to recipients

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured the Kanyashree recipients of assistance in times of need and encouraged them to pursue their dreams on the occasion of 11th Kanyashree Diwas.

Presently, 87 lakh girls across the state have reaped benefits of the Kanyashree scheme. At the sidelines of the programme held at Dhana Dhanya auditorium, the state Minister for Women and Child Development, Shashi Panja said that her department has recently launched a digital platform to keep track of girl children to ensure they are not married till they attend legal age. Twelve Kanyashree girls were awarded for stopping child marriages while 24 girls who became self-reliant with monetary assistance from Kanyashree were also awarded at the programme.

Two of the awardees, Madhurima Mishra and Tiyasha Chandra are presently pursuing MBBS, 3rd year at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Banerjee wrote on her X handle: “We had started the scheme in 2013. Today, it has been recognised as a world champion, receiving the title of the best initiative from UNESCO. All girls in the state irrespective of their economic background are Kanyashree. I will urge all of you to progress further and fulfil your dreams. I am always beside you in times of need.” In 2017, Banerjee received the United Nations Public Services Award (UNPSA) for the ‘Kanyashree’ scheme. “We have come across instances when marriage at an early age was stopped and after a few months, the girl was forced to marry again. With the online platform in place, the details of the girl child whose marriage was stopped is integrated in the portal and our department tracks the case to ensure that she is not married off till she attends the legal age of marriage,” Panja said.

‘Kanyashree’ is a conditional cash transfer programme for adolescent girls, aged 13 to 19 years, from economically backward families in Bengal to prevent their marriage before they turn 18. It has been instrumental in stopping 500-odd marriages yearly since its inception. The state had launched a district action plan for stopping child marriages in 2022.

State Education minister Bratya Basu, Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharjee and Forest minister Birbaha Hansda were present at the programme.

Arjan De Wagt, deputy representative (Programmes) of UNICEF in India said that a programme like Kanyashree is needed at the world level transcending the boundaries of the state or the country. UNICEF is rendering technical assistance to the state government for implementation of Kanyashree programme.