Kanyashree Prakalpa is a flagship conditional cash transfer scheme launched by the Government of West Bengal on October 1, 2013. It is designed to improve the well-being of adolescent girls by incentivizing education and delaying marriage until the legal age of 18.
Key Components & Benefits
The scheme is divided into three primary categories:
- Annual Scholarship (K1): A yearly payment of ₹1,000 for unmarried girls aged 13–18 who are enrolled in Class VIII or above.
- One-Time Grant (K2): A single payment of ₹25,000 given to unmarried girls when they turn 18, provided they are still enrolled in an educational institution.
- Higher Education (K3): A sub-scheme integrated with the Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship to support girls pursuing postgraduate studies in Science, Arts, or Commerce.
Eligibility Criteria
- Residency: Must be a permanent resident of West Bengal.
- Education: Must be enrolled in a recognized school, college, vocational, or technical training center.
- Marital Status: Must be unmarried.
- Income Bar: As of 2018-19, the previous family income ceiling (₹1,20,000) has been withdrawn, making the scheme accessible to all girls regardless of family income.
Application & Support
- How to Apply: Forms are generally available through the educational institution where the student is enrolled.
- Track Status: Applicants can check their status using their Application ID on the Official Kanyashree Portal.
- Grievances: Issues can be reported via the Online Grievance Monitoring System.
The program has received international acclaim, including the United Nations Public Service Award in 2017 for its impact on reducing child marriage and school dropout rates.