Kanyashree Prakalpa is a West Bengal government initiative that aims to improve the lives and status of girls by providing financial assistance to economically disadvantaged families in order to prevent families from marrying off their girl child before the age of eighteen due to financial constraints. The initiative’s goal is to help low-income girls who cannot afford higher education. This project of the West Bengal government has received international recognition from the United Nations Department of International Development and UNICEF.

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The scheme is divided into two parts:

K1: The first is an Annual incentive of Rs. 1000/- to be paid annually to the girls in the age group 13 to 18 years (studying in Class VIII equivalent or above for every year that they remained in education, provided they are unmarried at the time.
K2: The second is a One-Time Grant of Rs. 25,000/-, to be paid after a girl turns 18, provided that she was engaged in an academic or occupational pursuit and was unmarried.

The term ‘education’ encompasses secondary and higher secondary education, as well as the various vocational, technical and sports courses available for this age group. To ensure an equity focus, the scheme is open only to girls from families whose annual income is R. 1,20,000/- or less. For girls with special needs, girls who have lost both parents, as well as for girls currently residing in Juvenile Justice homes, this criterion is waived. Although the annual scholarship is payable only when girls reach Class VIII, this, criterion is waived for girls with special needs whose disability is 40% or more.

Although the Kanyashree Prakalpa is credited to the Government of West Bengal, India, the main project is actually a derivative of the Government of India’s beneficial scheme. However, because the Government of India did not recognize Kanyashree Prakalpa as one of its beneficial schemes for girls from rural and suburban areas, particularly those from low-income families, the state government of West Bengal claimed ownership of the scheme.

Why Kanyashree Prakalpa was conceptualized?

Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA), 18 is the legal age of marriage for girls, and 21 for boys in India. Despite several years of this Act being in existence, the early marriage of children continues to be practiced in West Bengal. According to DLHS -3, 2007-08, the state ranked fifth highest in the country when it came to the prevalence of child marriage, with almost every second girl a child bride (54.7%). Although more pervasive in rural areas, statistics revealed than even in non-slum areas of Kolkata, more than a quarter of girls are married before they reach adulthood.

Child marriage and school drop-outs go hand in hand. In West Bengal, attendance of girls in school drops from 85% in the age-group 6-10 years to a mere 33% in the age group 15-17 years (NFHS III, 2005-06). After the implementation of free and universal elementary education in India, progress in enrollment and completion of elementary school has been noticed, however, the transition from elementary to secondary school remains a concern. Secondary education is not free, and many impoverished parents, failing to see the economic rationale for investing in their daughters education, marry them off at this age in the belief that this will enhance the girls and the familys security. This step however, condemns the girls to a life of financial and social insecurity. Field studies show that most women have to take up some economic activity in later years, and that their lack of qualifications and work experience makes them ill-equipped for the labour market, and therefore susceptible to poverty and exploitation throughout life. As a result, poverty, a factor that fuels child marriage, in turn perpetuates the feminization of poverty.

After the enactment of the PCMA 2006, the Department of Women Development and Social Welfare and Child Development (DWD) implemented anti-child marriage campaigns spreading the message of prevention, and endorsing enforcement of the law and its penal provisions for adults aiding and abetting child marriage.

Objectives of Kanyashree Prakalpa

Kanyashree Prakalpa seeks to improve the status and wellbeing of girls, specifically those from socio-economically disadvantaged families through Conditional Cash Transfers by:

Incentivizing them to continue in education for a longer period of time, and complete secondary or higher secondary education, or equivalent in technical or vocational steams, thereby giving them a better footing in both the economic and social spheres.
Disincentivising marriage till at least the age of 18, the legal age of marriage, thereby reducing the risks of early pregnancies, associated risks of maternal and child mortality, and other debilitating health conditions, including those of malnutrition.
It was also decided that the Scheme should confer more than just monetary support; it should be a means of financial inclusion and a tool of empowerment for adolescent girls. The schemes benefits are therefore paid directly to bank accounts in the girls names, leaving the decision of utilization of the money in their hands.
To reinforce the positive impact of increased education and delayed marriages, the scheme also works to enhance the social power and self-esteem of girls through a targeted behaviour change communication strategy. The communication strategy not only builds awareness of the scheme, but includes adolescent-friendly approaches like events, competitions and Kanyashree clubs, and the endorsement of strong women figures as role models to promote social and psychological empowerment.

Components of the Scheme

On the whole, there are two components under the Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana:

Annual Scholarship of Rs.1000/-: In 2013-14, the scholarship amount was capped at Rs.500/-, which has now been increased to Rs.1000/-. provided to unmarried girls aged 13 to 18

Studying in classes VIII to XII
Pursuing education from any government- recognized school/institution
Attending any open school
Pursuing vocational courses or sports training.

A one-time grant of Rs.25000/- is provided to girls who have reached the age of 18 at the time of enrollment in the scheme.

Enrolled in a government-approved regular/open school
Following any type of vocational training or course
Pursuing athletic training
Living in a home registered under the J.J. Act 2000

Eligibility for Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana/Scheme

The Kanyashree Yojana is defined around a certain eligibility criteria. It is accessible for the girls who are:

Unmarried and Residents of West Bengal
From the age of 13 to 18 years in families with maximum annual income of Rs.1,20,000/-. This capping on annual income is not valid for the girl child who has lost both parents or is 40% (or more) physically challenged
Regular students pursuing education or vocational and sports training
Within the age of 18 to 19 years from Child Care institutes enlisted under J.J.Act of 2000
Completing the age of 18 years on or after 1st April 2013- For one-time grant amount

The scheme plans to reach out to approximately 18 Lakh girls (students) for annual scholarships every year and approximately 3.5 lakh girls for one-time grant amount every year.

Documents Required for Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana

Here is a list of documents required for Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana to be submitted duly by the applicant:

Birth Certificate of the girl child
Declaration statement claiming that the beneficiary is unmarried
Proof of family income below Rs.1,20,000/-
Disability Certificate (if the beneficiary is unmarried)
Declaration Statement by the Guardian (in case both the parents of the girl child are deceased) along with the Death certificate of the deceased parents)
Bank passbook with the name of the girl child, address and account number

How to apply for Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana?

The girl child who is eligible for the Kanyashree Scheme must follow the application process to attain all the benefits from the plan:

Obtain the application form from the school/institution. The applK1 forms must be completed for annual scholarships, and K2 forms must be completed for one-time grants.
Get a bank account opened in the name of the girl child (beneficiary)Because the entire amount will be deposited in the same account, a bank account in the name of the girl must be opened.
Attach all the required documents. All of the documents listed above must be attested, attached, and submitted with the completed application form.

The form along with the documents is to be submitted to the Head Teacher of the school/institution who will then sign and stamp the same accordingly. An acknowledgement receipt is obtained which might be required for future formalities.

How to check application status for the scheme?

Follow the steps to check your application status for Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana:

Log-in to the Kanyashree Portal
Click on “Track Application”
Fill all the required details- Year, Type of scheme, Applicant ID and DOB. Click “Submit”
After the application is approved, the benefiting money gets deposited into the bank account of the beneficiary

Kanyashree Day

Kanyashree Day is observed on August 14 to promote the scheme throughout the state of West Bengal.. On August 14, 2013, statewide events were held to publicize the scheme. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, presided over the event in Kolkata. The government organized district-wide awareness campaigns.

Kanyashree University

West Bengal’s state government is establishing Kanyashree University in Nadia and Kanyashree colleges throughout the state to empower girls. Kanyashree University would be exclusively for female students. Earlier in January 2019, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the groundwork for the new Kanyashree University in Krishnagar, Nadia district.

Official Website

https://www.wbkanyashree.gov.in/kp_4.0/index.php

Kanyashree Prakalpa- Know every small details to register