Top 10 Government Girl Child Schemes in India

We will have a look at the features and benefits of each and every schemes introduced by the central government. 

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao 

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a popular girl child scheme introduced by the central government which can be availed by the girl child and their parents throughout India. The aim of introducing this scheme is to save the girl child from social ills like gender biased abortions as well as advance education of girl child.

Earlier, this scheme was targeted at the districts which have lower sex ratio but later the government has made expansion in the entire nation.

This scheme mainly aims towards the education of the girls  child in order to help the society in changing their mindsets.

The following are the key objectives of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme: 

1. The scheme ensures protection and survival of girl child in infancy. 
2. It prevents gender biased abortions. 

1. It supports gender equality by fighting against gender stereotypes. 
2. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao promotes right of girls to inherit property. 
3. The scheme also helps in creating safe and stable atmosphere for girls across the nation. 

Balika Samriddhi Yojana 

The Balika Samriddhi Yojana is basically a scholarship program which is designed in order to offer financial support to young girls and their mothers who belong to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The main objective of this scheme is to improve their status in the Indian society, doing improvement in the enrollment and retention of girls in schools, and increasing the marriageable age of girls.

Now, we will have a look at the key features and benefits of Balika Samriddhi Yojana: 

1. This scheme is available for both rural and urban areas of the country. 
2. If a girl child is a school goer, a girl child will be getting an annual scholarship which ranges from Rs.300 to Rs.1,000 till Std.11. 
3. After the girl turns 18 and remains unmarried, the option to withdraw the remaining funds is accessible. 
4. The scheme also offers Rs.500 of cash benefit to the girl child’s mother after the birth of the baby. 

The eligible people can download the application form of Balika Samriddhi Yojana scheme for free from the Women & Child Development Department website. 

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) 

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is basically a savings scheme introduced by the Indian government which considers girl child as the primary account holder whereas the parents or the legal guardian is a joint account holder. SSY account can only be opened by before a girl child reaches the age of ten years and deposit should be done for 15 years after opening the account.

Given below are the features and benefits of investments done into a Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: 

1. The flexible deposit option along with an initial deposit with minimum amount of Rs.250 to Rs.1.5 lakhs per annum.  
2. Investments that are entirely tax-free since the principal invested, the amount due at maturity, and the interest produced are all exempt. 
3. According to Section 80C of IT Act 1961, the tax benefit should be provided to the account holders. 

1. The scheme also provides partial withdrawal facility for the higher education of girl child. 
2. Long-term investment because SSY accounts can be opened 15 years after they are opened initially. 

CBSE Udaan Scheme 

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced CBSE Udaan Scheme which is specifically introduced for the girl child through the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The aim of this scheme is to increase the enrollment of girls in reputed technical and engineering colleges across the country. The scheme also comprises efforts which are done to improve the learning experience by giving special focus on girl students who come from economically backward families.

The important features of the CBSE Udaan Scheme: 

1. The account holders will get free course materials or online resources like video study material for girls students in Std.11 and Std.12. 

1. Mentoring opportunities and peer learning opportunities are provided to the meritorious girl students. 
2. There is study helpline service in order to clarify the doubts among the students. 

Eligibility Criteria for CBSE Udaan Scheme 

The following are the eligibility criteria for CBSE Udaan Scheme: 

1. Girl students should be the citizens of India. 

1. The annual income of the family should not be more than Rs.6 lakhs. 
2. Girl child should choose science stream with Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry as their main subjects in Std.11 and Std.12 in CBSE affiliated schools. 

National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education 

The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, administers the National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education. It is primarily for the benefit of Indian females from lower socioeconomic groups. After a qualified girl student has been chosen, a fixed deposit of Rs.3,000 is made on her behalf. After the girl student passes the class 10th exam and reaches the age of 18, she may withdraw this money with interest. 

Eligibility Criteria for CBSE Udaan Scheme 

The following are the eligibility criteria for CBSE Udaan Scheme: 

1. An applicant should be the citizen of India. 
2. She should be less than 16 years of age. 
3. All class 8-passing SC/ST girls as well as female pupils from other socioeconomic classes are qualified if they attended a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. 
4. Girl students who are enrolled in different central government schemes like Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and NVS are not eligible for this scheme. 

State Government Girl Child Schemes 

Apart from the central government schemes, each state has its own state government schemes which have been introduced for the girl child. 

Ladli Scheme of Haryana 

Haryana government has introduced Ladli Scheme of Haryana with an aim in enhancing the status of girl child in society. The scheme also aims to ensure that the mindset as well as the attitude of the society towards girl child is changed in such as way that certain social ills like female foeticide are eliminated. This scheme was introduced by Haryana government on 20 August 2015. 

How the Ladli Scheme Works? 

Ladli Scheme of Haryana is basically a cash incentive which provides Rs.5,000 every year for a tenure of five years to families having a second girl child born on or after 20 August 2015. The money is deposited in a Kisan Vikas Patra on a joint basis in the name of second girl child and the father or mother or legal guardian. The accountholders will get the maturity amount along with interest earned after the second girl child has turned 18 years of age. 

How to Get Ladli Scheme Application Form? 

You can avail the application form of Ladli Scheme of Haryana from your nearby Anganwadi Centres. You need to fill the form with all the required information and submit it to the Aganwadi workers or Health Staff by enclosing the birth certificates for the first as well as second girl children. You can also download the Ladli Scheme application form from the official website of the state government. 

Ladli Laxmi Yojana of Madhya Pradesh 

Ladli Laxmi Yojana is a government sponsored scheme introduced by the Madhya Pradesh government which aims to improve the status of the girl children as well as women in the state. Introduced in the year 2006, the scheme seeks to prevent social ills done to the girl child like female foeticide and child marriage. After the recipient has been approved, Rs.6000 worth of National Savings Certificates will be bought annually for the first five years in the beneficiary's name. From the investment done in this scheme, Rs.200 will be invested after the girl child gets admitted in Std.6 and subsequently Rs.4,000 will be invested when the girl child gets admitted in Std.9. 

Eligibility Criteria for Ladli Laxmi Yojana 

Given below are the eligibility criteria for Ladli Laxmi Yojana: 

1. The family of the girls child should be the resident of Madhya Pradesh and should not have taxable income. 
2. Once the second girl child is born, the family should adopt family planning and first girl child should be born on or after 1 April 2008. 
3. The beneficiary should also attend the Aganwadi on a regular basis. 

How to Apply for the Ladli Laxmi Yojana in Madhya Pradesh? 

You can obtain the Ladli Laxmi Yojana from your local Anganwadi Centre of your locality or village where your house is situated. You need to submit the duly filled application form to the Anganwadi Centre within one year of the birth of the girl child by enclosing the copies of applicable documents. 

Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme from Government of Maharashtra 

The Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme was introduced by the Government of Maharashtra which has been designed to improve the situation of the girl child who belong to the below poverty line families as well as other weaker sections of the society.  

Benefits of Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme 

For the first five years after the girl child is born, the mother is given Rs.5000 each year. After that, financial assistance in the amount of Rs.2500 per year is given to the girl child till she enrols in the fifth grade. 

After this, they will get Rs.3,000 each year till the girl child is promoted in Std.12. Once she reaches 18 years of age, she will get Rs.1 lakh every year for her education. The girl child may be eligible for additional payments for additional education. 

Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme Application Form 

You can obtain the application form of Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme from your local Anganwadi centre and submit the duly fiiled application form to the Anganwadi worker by enclosing the scanned copy of the birth certificate of the girl child. Apart from this, you can also download the Mazi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme application form from the official website of the Maharashtra Government. 

West Bengal Kanyashree Prakalpa 

The Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme is an initiative taken by the government of West Bengal which aims to improve the status and wellbeing of girls especially for those who belong to socio economic backward classes. This scheme is designed by the Department of Women Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal under which the financial aid will be provided in the form of cash transfers. 

Eligibility Criteria for the Kanyashree Prakalpa 

Given below are the eligibility criteria of Kanyashree Prakalpa: 

1. The beneficiary should be the resident of West Bengal and should have a bank account in her name. 
2. She should be enrolled in an educational institution. 

1. Her marital status should be unmarried. 
2. The maximum annual income of the girl’s family should be Rs.1.2 lakhs. 

Kanyashree Prakalpa Application 

A girl child can apply for the Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme as soon as she reaches the age of 13 years provided, she is enrolled in Std.8 or higher. This one time grant application should be made between 18 years of age and 19 years of age. You can avail the application form of Kanyashree scheme from the institution where the girl child is studying. Next, you need to submit the duly filled application form along with your birth certificate and the declaration that the applicant is unmarried and confirm that her family’s annual income is Rs.1.2 lakh.