13 Government Schemes For Girl Child In India: Eligibility And How To Apply

Government schemes for girl child in India were introduced at both the central and state levels. This was to ensure certain safety measures and benefits such as education, to be imparted to girl child. As per the census from 2011, the child sex ratio in India showed that there were only 918 girls per 1000 boys (1). The gap between the two genders is evident from female infanticide and feticide. This record was seen even after banning sex determination in India (2). With the intent to stop such crimes against girl child, the state and central government introduced several schemes to support the education and upbringing of girls. In this post, we bring you a list of such schemes, and the el with the eligibility criteria to avail of these schemes for your girl child. Read on to learn more.

Purpose Of Govt Schemes For Girl Child

Government schemes for girl children are primarily aimed at empowering girls. They are designed to:

• eradicate female feticide and infanticide
• increase the age-at-marriage of girls
• improve the declining sex ratio
• encourage families to enroll girl children in schools
• meet the marriage expenses of a girl after she reaches 18 years of age
• assist teenage girls in taking up income-generating activities

List Of Government Schemes For Girl Child In India

Central Government Schemes For Girl Child

1. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

Launched in 2015, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The scheme aims at addressing the declining child sex ratio (CSR), creating awareness about the importance of girl children, changing the mindset of people towards a girl child at birth, and improving welfare services for women.

The main objectives of the campaign include (3):

• Preventing gender-biased sex selection and post-birth discrimination of the girl child
• Ensuring the survival and protection of the girl child
• Ensuring the participation of the girl child in education

The scheme covers 640 districts in India, and the funds are transferred directly to the respective districts and not to the individual accounts of people.

Features (4):

• The funds are used by each district for media campaigns and training,
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development sanctions Rs. 10,000 to 20,000 to each school that achieves the target of 100% transition of girl students from a specific class to another.
• It offers Rs. 5,000 to each of the top ten girl students in a district, who clear the classes X and XII state board exams, and Rs. 20,000/- to the girl topper of class XII State board exam in the district who enrolls for higher education.

2. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (Girl Child Prosperity Scheme) is a deposit scheme overseen by the National Savings Institute, Ministry of Finance. The scheme aims at enabling parents to meet the expenses of a girl’s education or marriage (5).

Features

• It allows for a minimum investment of Rs. 250 and a maximum investment of Rs. 1,50,000 in one financial year.
• The principal invested, the interest rate earned, and the maturity amount are all tax-free.
• It allows for a partial withdrawal after the account holder attains 18 years of age.
• The tenure of the deposit is 21 years from the date of opening of the account.
• The maximum period up to which deposits can be made is 15 years from the date of opening the account.

Eligibility

• Parents and legal guardians can open the account in the name of a female child who hasn’t attained the age of 10 years.

How to apply

• The account can be opened in post offices and branches of any authorized banks.

3. Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY)

Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY) is a scheme designed to benefit young girls born to BPL families. Overseen by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the scheme aims at changing the negative attitude of people towards the girl child at birth and towards her mother; improving enrolment and retention of girl children in schools; increasing the age-at-marriage of girls, and assisting the girl child in taking up activities that generate income (6).

Features

• It offers a post-birth grant amount of Rs. 500.
• The girl child is entitled to annual scholarships, depending on her grade—grades I, II, and III – 300; grade IV – Rs. 500; grade 5 – Rs. 600; grades VI and VII – Rs. 700; grade VIII – Rs. 800; and grade IX and X – Rs.1,000.
• The amount is deposited into a savings account of the girl child.
• The total amount can be withdrawn once the girl child reaches 18 years of age.

Eligibility

• The scheme applies to a girl child who is born after August 15, 1997.
• The scheme is restricted to two girl children in each household.
• Girl children of BPL families, families covered under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), and families of rag-pickers, vegetable/fish and flower sellers, pavement dwellers, etc., are eligible.

How to apply

• The gram panchayats/municipalities are responsible for identifying the beneficiaries.
• They are also responsible for taking the help of anganwadi workers, school teachers, etc., for filling in the application forms of the eligible beneficiaries and opening their accounts in the nearest nationalized bank or post office.
• A passbook in the name of the child is given to the mother or guardian (if the child has lost her mother).

4. CBSE Merit Scholarship Scheme for Single Girl Child

The CBSE Merit Scholarship Scheme for Single Girl Child is aimed at recognizing the efforts of parents, who promote female education and encouraging meritorious girl students. It is given to girl students of classes XI and XII in CBSE schools (7).

Features

• The girl child is entitled to Rs. 500 a month for two years.

Eligibility

• The scholarship applies to Indian nationals only.
• The student should be the only girl child of her parents.
• The student should have secured 60% or more marks in the CBSE class X examination.
• The tuition fee during her class X standard should not be more than Rs. 1,500 p.m.

How to apply

• The application form can be downloaded from the CBSE website and uploaded online, along with all the required documents, such as the original affidavit from her parents stating that she is the only girl child.

5. National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE)

Launched in 2008, the NSIGSE aims at encouraging girl children belonging to the SC/ST communities and in the age group of 14–18 years to enroll in secondary schools (8).

Features

• A fixed sum of Rs. 3,000 is deposited in the name of the eligible girls in a public sector bank or post office.
• The sum with interest can be withdrawn once the girl reaches 18 years of age or clears the matriculation examination.

Eligibility

• The scheme covers all SC/ST girls who pass grade VIII.
• It also covers all girls from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, who enroll for class IX in government-aided or local body schools.
• The girl should be unmarried and below 16 years of age.

Note: As of 2019, the Government’s website has this information, “Re-designing: The NSIGSE Scheme is being re-designed to implement it in a more effective way.”

How to apply

• The girl should register herself on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). However, in most cases, this process is handled by the respective schools.

State Government Schemes For Girl Child

6. Ladli Scheme, Haryana

Launched in 2005, the Ladli Scheme of Haryana aims at improving the status of the girl child, changing people’s perception of the birth of girl children, fighting the menace of female foeticide, and improving the declining sex ratio (9).

Features

• A fixed deposit of Rs. 5,000 a year for up to five years is offered to families whose second girl child is born after August 20, 2005.
• The sum is invested in the name of the second girl child and the mother in a Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) savings scheme available at post offices.
• The invested amount can be claimed after the second girl child attains the age of 18 years.

Eligibility

• The scheme applies to parents who have two girl children.
• The parents should be residents of Haryana or domiciled in Haryana.
• At least one of the parents should be residing in Haryana with the girl children.
• Both girl children should be enrolled in a school or anganwadi.

How to apply

• The applicants need to fill in a form, which can be availed from the anganwadi centers and offices of child development project officers or civil surgeons.
• The applicant will have to submit a copy of the birth certificate of the second girl child.
• The parents should produce the immunization records of their two girl children to receive a payment.

7. Ladli Laxmi Yojana, Madhya Pradesh

Ladli Laxmi Yojana was launched in 2007, with the primary aim of preventing female feticide and child marriages and changing people’s mindset towards the birth of a girl child. The scheme is applicable to girls born after January 1, 2006 (10).

Features

• The state government purchases National Saving Certificates worth Rs. 6,000 for up to five years in the name of the beneficiary.
• The beneficiary receives Rs. 2,000 on admission to class VI, Rs. 4,000 on admission to class IX, Rs. 7,500 on admission to class XI, and the remaining lumpsum amount of around Rs. 100,000 is paid once she reaches the age of 21.

Eligibility

• The scheme covers girls whose parents are residents of Madhya Pradesh and do not come under tax liability.
• The scheme applies to the first two girl children born to a family.
• It also applies to an adopted girl child, irrespective of the number of girls in the family.
• The beneficiary should be registered in any of the anganwadi centers in the state within the first year of birth.
• The girl should not be married before she reaches the age of 18 to receive the lump sum amount.

How to apply

• The application form is available at any anganwadi center in the state.
• It can also be applied online via this link.

8. Bhagyalaxmi Scheme, Karnataka

The Bhagyalaxmi Scheme is an initiative of the Karnataka Government to promote the birth of girl children among below poverty line (BPL) families, improve the girl child’s status, and provide financial assistance to the girl child in order to let her complete school education (11).

Features

• The girl child receives a health insurance cover of up to Rs. 25,000 a year.
• She also receives an annual scholarship ranging from Rs. 300 to 1,000, depending on the class she is enrolled in.
• The parents are entitled to Rs. 1,00,000 in the case of an accident and Rs. 42,500 in the case of the natural death of the beneficiary.
• The beneficiary receives an amount of Rs. 34, 751 once they reach the age of 18 years.

Eligibility

• The scheme is applicable to girl children of BPL families.
• The girl child should have been born after March 2006.
• The scheme is applicable to two girl children in a family.
• The child should be enrolled in an anganwadi center within one year of her birth.
• The girl should not be involved in child labor; she should complete class VIII; and she should not be married before reaching 18 years of age.

How to apply

• The scheme can be applied both online and offline.
• For applying offline, either of the parents or the legal guardian may approach an anganwadi center, the gram panchayat office, or the municipal office.

9. Mhaji Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme (MKBS), Maharashtra

The MKBS was launched by the Government of Maharashtra to promote the birth of girl children, provide financial incentives to low-income families to educate girl children, prevent child marriage, and promote the economic and social independence of girl children (12).

Features

• A fixed deposit of Rs. 50,000 is made in the name of the girl child.
• If there are two girl children in a family, a fixed deposit of Rs, 25,000 each is made.
• The interest money can be withdrawn twice—first when she reaches six years of age and, next, when she reaches 12 years.
• The total amount, along with interest, can be withdrawn once the girl child reaches the age of 18.

Eligibility

• The scheme is applicable to girl children born to families whose annual family income is less than Rs. 7.5 lakh.
• The girl child should be born on or after January 1, 2014.
• The scheme is applicable to two girl children in a family. If a family has more than two girl children, the family cannot apply for any of the children.

How to apply

• For more information on the scheme and how to apply, click this link:

10. Kanyashree Prakalpa, West Bengal

Overseen by the Department of Women Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, the Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme is designed to delay the marriage of a female child until they reach the age of 18 years, by helping them with conditional cash incentives (13).

Features

• An annual scholarship of Rs. 500 to a female child enrolled in classes VIII to XII.
• A one-time grant of Rs. 25,000 once the female child reaches the age of 18 years.

Eligibility

• The scheme is applicable to girl children of families whose annual income is below Rs. 1,20,000.
• The income criterion doesn’t apply to girls with special needs, orphans, and girls in juvenile justice homes.
• The annual scholarship also applies to a female child with special needs, even if she is below class VIII.

How to apply

• The application forms for both the annual scholarship and the one-time grant are available at schools.
• The status of the application can be tracked on this link.

11. Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana, Uttarakhand

Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana is a special scheme designed by the Government of Uttarakhand to prevent female feticide, address the declining sex ratio, and provide financial support to girls, who are born to low-income families (14).

Features

• The state government provides a fixed deposit of Rs. 15,000 in the girl child’s name.

Eligibility

• The beneficiary should be a resident of Uttarakhand.
• The scheme can be availed of by two girl children in a family.
• The total annual income of the beneficiary’s family should not be more than Rs. 42,000 for those in urban areas, and not more than Rs. 36,000 for those in rural areas.
• The girl child should be born in a government hospital, ANM center, or childcare center.

How to apply

• The application form can be downloaded from this link.
• It should be submitted online by the school principal.
• For offline registration, contact the nearest anganwadi center.
• The applicant should provide the following documents: Aadhar card, BPL card, income certificate, residence proof, and mark sheet of the matriculation examination.

12. Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana (MKS), Bihar

Launched in 2008 and overseen by the Women and Child Development Department, Government of Bihar, the Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana scheme aims at preventing female feticide, encouraging the birth of a girl child, addressing the declining sex ratio, and encouraging birth registration (15).

Features

• The state government offers a one-time fixed deposit amount of Rs. 2,000 to the UTI Children’s Career Balanced Plan in the name of the female child and provides the passbook to the parent of the girl child.
• The girl child can withdraw the total amount and interest once she reaches the age of 18 years.

Eligibility

• The beneficiary should be below three years of age.
• The scheme is applicable to girl children of BPL families.
• The birth of the girl child should be registered within the first year.

How to apply

• The application form is available at all anganwadi centers.
• The parent has to provide a copy of the BPL certificate, identity card, residence certificate, and the daughter’s birth certificate.

13. Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana (MRY), Rajasthan

Launched in 2016, the MRY aims at encouraging the birth of daughters, improving the state’s sex ratio, and educating and empowering the female child (16).

Features

• The scheme offers the girl child financial assistance of up to Rs. 50,000.
• The amount is given in installments: Rs. 2,500 at birth, Rs. 2,500 after the child has been vaccinated, Rs. 4,000 on admission to class I, Rs. 5,000 on admission to class VI, Rs. 11,000 on admission to class X, and Rs. 25,000 on passing class XII.

Eligibility

• The scheme is applicable to two female children in a family.
• The girl child should be born after June 1, 2016.
• The parents should open a Bhamasha card and bank account in the name of the female child.

How to apply

• To apply for the first and second installments, visit the nearest anganwadi center.
• For the second installment, the parent needs to show the Mamta card, a card given to pregnant women to track their antenatal doctor visits and the mother and child’s health, nutrition, and development.
• For the remaining installments, visit an Atal Seva Kendra office or apply online via E-Mitra.

References

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