Yogi launches scheme for girl child

On the occasion of Dhanteras, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday launched his ambitious 'Sumangla Kanya Yojna', a scheme for the girl child, in the presence of Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani here.

The scheme will provide an amount of Rs 15,000 in a phased manner to every family where a girl child is born. The scheme will cost the state exchequer Rs 1,200 crore.

Adityanath said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has worked for women empowerment and has also taken steps to curb female foeticide which was a blot on society.

"We have created an atmosphere of security and safety for women. The women helpline is a step in this direction. We have improved the system for girls in schools and we are providing them books, bags, uniforms, sweaters, shoes and socks," he said.

The Chief Minister said that for the women, the BJP government has launched schemes for toilets, free gas connections and also banned social evils like triple talaq.

Irani said that Uttar Pradesh was celebrating the festival of 'Dhanteras' in a unique manner by launching the 'Sumangla Kanya' scheme.

She said that it was because of perfect coordination between the state and Centre that schemes for women were proving to be beneficial.

"This scheme will enable the celebration of the girl child from the time of her birth," she said.

The 'Sumangla Kanya' scheme has been designed in a way that parents will have to take care of girl child's health and education to avail its benefits.

Funds will be released in six installments when a girl child completes various stages like vaccination, admission in class 1, 5 and 9 and graduation.

At birth Rs 2,000 will be transferred into account and if a girl has completed all her first-year vaccinations, she will be entitled to another Rs 1,000.

Similarly, if she has taken admission in class 1, she will get Rs 15,000 minus funds that would have been released at birth and completion of first-year vaccinations.

A government spokesman said that around 500 girls will benefit from the scheme in every district and a family can avail the benefits for up to two girls.