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Education to Health: Govt Schemes!
The Indian constitutional framework envisions an equal society sans any discriminatory practises against girls and women. To ensure the creation of the same, the government of India has implemented several beneficial schemes and policies for the girl child in India.
Here we enlist some of the best schemes for the girl-child rolled out by the Central government as well as individual state governments.
1. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
The popular slogan also happens to be one of the most comprehensive welfare schemes for the girl-child in India. The scheme is specifically aimed to address the sex ratio discrepancy in parts of the country by:
Preventing prenatal gender-biased abortion and postnatal discrimination against daughters Ensuring holistic growth and protection of the girl-child Providing equal opportunities for education and participation to the girl-child Gift your little girl this pretty Peter Pan blouse made entirely out of organic cotton.
The scheme has presently been implemented in 100 districts of India with a low Child Sex Ratio (CSR), where government officials at Panchayat and district levels work towards elimination of female foeticide and infanticide as well as ensure free elementary education to each and every young girl.
2. Sukanya Samridhhi Yojana
This scheme offers a savings bank account for a girl-child below 10 years of age where she gets to be the primary account holder with the parent(s)/legal guardian as joint holder(s). Regular deposits can be made in the account for 15 years since opening to finance the girl’s education and other future needs. The account can be opened at the nearest PSU bank, post-office and select private banks with a minimum initial deposit amount of Rs 1,000. Deposits up to Rs 1.5 lakh annually is permitted. A lucrative interest rate (8.4 per cent at present) is available to the beneficiaries. The annual deposit (contributions) also qualifies for Section 80C of tax deduction benefit, with the maturity amount and earned interest being non-taxable.
3. Balika Samriddhi Yojana
This scholarship scheme is particularly dedicated for girl children and their mothers living below the poverty line – in both rural and urban regions. Aside from providing educational and survival support, the scheme also targets the eradication of early marriage among girls.
After the birth of a daughter, the mother is provided with a cash benefit of Rs 500.The girl child can avail annual scholarship between Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 till 10th standard as detailed below: girl child schemes. The forms for Balika Samriddhi Yojana can be downloaded for free at the following links: Rural and Urban.
4. UDAAN by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Launched by CBSE, the scheme targets to bridge the gender gap in technical education by increasing the enrolment of girls in engineering institutions across the country, especially those who hail from a lesser privileged economic strata.
Special focus is given to the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics at School level in a three-dimensional approach, through upgraded curriculum design, transaction and assessments.
Girl students who have opted for Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry in 11th and 12th standards of CBSE-affiliated schools are eligible.
Free textual and video study material as well as special online coaching for national engineering entrance examinations are available, along with a helpline for doubt clearance.
Peer-to-peer learning model and mentoring privileges for dedicated aspirants.
Applications can be availed at the students’ respective CBSE-affiliated schools. Learn more about the scheme here: UDAAN
5. National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education
The scheme is particularly aimed for the upliftment of girls from the SC/ST communities through monetary incentives for education.
Eligibility –
All girl students who have passed class VII from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and have enrolled for class IX in State/UT Government, government-aided or local body schools.
Rs 3,000 is added as a fixed deposit for the selected candidates, which the student can withdraw with interest after passing 10th board examinations and attaining 18 years of age.
Know more about the scheme here: National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education
6. State government schemes for girl child
Many states have introduced their own welfare schemes for girl children, which can be availed alongside the central government scheme(s). Some of the popular state-based schemes are listed below:
Promotion
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana – Girl Child Protection Scheme
The scheme promotes a girl child’s education to minimum up to Intermediate level, while preventing early marriages and empowering girls from an early age.
The scheme also provides financial benefits to girl children in need.
Families with no more than two children comprising two or at least one daughter are eligible.
To know all terms and conditions of the scheme, click here: Girl child protection scheme
Tamil Nadu – Sivagami Ammaiyar Memorial girl child protection scheme
The TN government scheme targets the eradication of female infanticide while endorsing gender-neutral family planning measures and supporting the welfare of girl children from less privileged families
Girl child schemes
To eradicate the malpractices of child marriage and female foeticide, the Madhya Pradesh government provides financial benefits to families with one or more girl child(ren), who are mandated to attend Anganwadi schools.
Following approval, Rs 6,000 worth of National Saving Certificates (NSC) will be purchased annually for 5 years in the girl child’s name.
Girl child schemes
In the state infamous for its lopsided CSR, the state government now offers Rs. 5,000/- per year for upto five years to families with a second girl child, which will be released once the beneficiary attains adulthood.
Odisha – Kishori Shakti Yojana
The Odisha government’s scheme aims to provide nutritional, educational and financial support to adolescent girls in the state – between 11 to 18 years of age.
Rajasthan – Rajshree Yojna
This amazing scheme provides a total financial assistance of up to Rs 50,000 to a girl child’s family for her educational, health and other expenses up to class XII.
Any family Below Poverty Line (BPL) with one or more girl children in Maharashtra is eligible for this scheme.
The beneficiary can avail the financial benefits as detailed below:
Girl child schemes.
This hugely successful scheme rolled out by the West Bengal government has bagged the first prize at the United Nations among 552 international projects in the Public Service category.
The scheme offers an annual scholarship of Rs 750 to girls between the ages of 13 and 18 years and a one-time grant of Rs 25,000 for girls between the ages of 18 and 19 years.
Source (The better India)
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