Balika Samridhi Yojana (BSY)

In the Tenth Plan, it has been decided to transfer the Scheme to the State Governments. Hence no budget provision has been made for this scheme in central budget estimates from 2002-2003.

Objective

• To change negative family and community attitudes towards the girl child at birth and towards her mother.
• To improve enrolment and retention of girl children in schools.
• To rise the age at marriage of girls.
• To assist the girl to undertake income generating activities.

Coverage and Value of Scholarship

The Balika Samriddhi Yojana covered both rural and urban areas in all districts in India.

The Balika Samriddhi Yojana covered girl children in families below the poverty line (BPL) as defined by the Government of India, in rural and urban areas, who are born on or after 15 August, 1997.

The girl children eligible under BSY will be entitled to the following benefits:

• A post-birth grant amount of Rs.500/-.
• When the girl child born on or after 15/8/1997 and covered under BSY starts attending the school, she will become entitled to annual scholarships as under for each successfully completed year of schooling.
• Class amount of annual scholarship
  • I-III Rs.300/- per annum for each class
  • IV Rs.500/- per annum
  • V Rs.600/- per annum
  • VI-VII Rs.700/- per annum for each class
  • VIII Rs.800/- per annum
  • IX-X Rs.1,000/- per annum for each class

The amounts mentioned in above, was deposited in an interest-bearing account to be opened in the name of the beneficiary girl child and an officer designated in this behalf by the State Government/Union Territory Administration in the nearest bank or post office. 

On the girl child attaining eighteen years of age and on production of a certificate from the Gram Panchayat/Municipality that she is unmarried on her eighteenth birthday, the implementing agency would authorize the bank or the post office authorities concerned to allow her to withdraw the matured amount standing in her name in the interest-bearing account.

Implementation of the Scheme

The scheme  is announced by the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration well in time, by giving advertisements in the leading language newspapers local dailies and by using other suitable publicity media.

Source: Ministry of Women and Child Development