The West Bengal Kanyashri Prakalpa Scheme was introduced by the State Government of West Bengal in the year 2013. This scheme was devised by the Department of Women Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal.

This scheme was implemented to enable and empower the education of a girl in the state and also reduce social evils like child marriage, child labor, and school dropout. The method which is used to fulfill the aim of the scheme is a conditional cash transfer to the bank account of the beneficiary for her productive utilization.

The West Bengal Kanyashri Prakalpa is one of the most well-implemented schemes and the effort has been lauded internationally. The United Nations has awarded the scheme for its extraordinary success and reachability in girl’s education in the state.

Objectives

The scheme aims at the growth of education in girl children. India is infamous for discriminatory practices meted out to girl children. Most parents, especially in the rural areas marry off their, underage girl child for various reasons. Then again, girls are also vulnerable because there is a looming fear of selling them off as labor or sex worker.

Hence to control, reduce, and eradicate these practices, the state govt had devised the scheme so that girls be brought back to education and get a monetary benefit for continuing school and higher education. In a poverty-stricken family, monetary help can give the right direction. The plan is to give this benefit to at least 18 lakh girl children across the state.

Eligibility

To be able to apply for availing the West Bengal Kanyashri Prakalpa Scheme, one has to be a girl who is unmarried and is a resident of the state of West Bengal. The eligible age for application is 13 yrs to 18yrs of age, and whose family income is not more than Rs 1,20,000 per annum. For children living in shelter homes under the JJ Act, the age criteria are 18 to 19 yrs.

Also, the girls need to be enrolled in academic, vocational, or sports training institutes. The children who are specially-abled and orphans do not have the criteria of an annual income limitation criteria for availing of this scheme.

Registration

All information related to the scheme can be found on the govt portal wbkanyashree.gov.in. One can apply online through downloadable application forms. The acknowledgment receipt would be provided by the head of the institute.

Moreover, the application form K1 for annual scholarship and K2 for a one-time grant can be also procured from schools or institutes. The forms need to be submitted to the same source. One can easily track the application status online.

Benefits

The conditional cash transfer is the best benefit for the girl child for her education and to protect her from the social evils of child marriage and child labor. Under this scheme a child can get an annual scholarship of Rs 1000, starting from 13 years to 18years of age. The other benefit is a one-time grant given by the state government under this scheme, which is a cash transfer of Rs.25,000, at the age of 18 years.