Andhra to help poor girls through college

The government will pay the family of a Bangaru Talli or Golden Girl born on or after May 1,2013 Rs 1,000 each for the first two rounds of immunisation,Rs 2,500 a year for three years of pre-school at Anganwadi centres,Rs 2,000 a year from class 1 to class 5,Rs 2,500 for class 6 and 7,Rs 3,000 from class 8 to class 10 ,Rs 3,500 a year for class 11 and 12,Rs 4,000 a year for graduation and post-graduation. This would be in addition to any other subsidies being provided.

“By the time the girl is 21,the scheme would have paid Rs 1.55 lakh,including Rs 1 lakh that will be paid at one go when she completes graduation. If she drops out before graduation,she will receive Rs 50,000,” Women and Child Welfare Minister Sunita Reddy said.

Two girls of a family born after May 1 are eligible for the benefits and beneficiaries would be identified through Aadhaar. The money will be paid into their accounts without any intermediaries. Some 8 lakh girls are born in Andhra a year and less than 35 per cent of them study till class 10.

Responding to objections raised by opposition members to the scheme,chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy argued that Andhra had a high school drop-out rate among girls and this scheme would help check it.

“The scheme will have a cascading effect and help eradicate social evils such as child marriage,dowry demands,violence against women,gender bias and sexual discrimination,” he said. The scheme will be implemented by the State Council headed by the CM and put up for social audit to ensure transparency. This year,the scheme will get Rs 200 crore and the allocation will be increased by 10 to 15 per cent every year.