In the year 2019, the Kanya Sumangala Yojana scheme was launched by the Uttar Pradesh government to change the living circumstances of girls residing in this state. Monetary support is provided in different crucial stages of a girl’s life from the moment she is born till her graduation level to advance education, health, and social welfare thereby fighting against gender discrimination.
Kanya Sumangala Yojana: In-Depth Handbook Two
Uttar Pradesh ladies’ government initiated the Kanya Sumangala Yojana program in 2019 so that it could enhance girls’ conditions and way of life within its borders. A girl receives funds through all significant periods from birth to her education at the university level to promote knowledge, wellness as well as societal development together with being able to fight bias based on sex.
The Kanya Sumangala Yojana Objectives
Some of the primary objectives of the Kanya Sumangala Yojana are:
- Enhancing the Health of Girl Children: This scheme aspires to ascertain that female babies are born fit, well-nourished, and medically taken care of.
- Supporting Female Education: It persuades parents financially to ensure their daughters attend school and complete the formal education process.
- Preventing Child Marriage: In other words, by incentivizing parents to send their daughters to schools/universities, most child marriages will be delayed.
- Promoting Gender Equality: The central goal is to change the broader community’s perceptions regarding girls by rendering them opportunities that are similar to what boys have been enjoying.
Purposes of the Kanya Sumangala Yojana
- To provide ways towards overall girl child development
- To ensure financial protection for families concerning raising and educating their daughters
- To reduce girl’s attrition rates from school or college
- To enhance gender parity while discouraging female feticide practices.
Criteria for Qualifying
One remains unqualified for this scheme without knowing your actual family background. To make it easier to understand we will split them down:
| Criteria | Details |
| Residence | Applicants must be a permanent resident of Uttar Pradesh. |
| Number of girls | The girl child must be born on or after April 1, 2019, to be eligible for the first-stage benefit |
| Family income | Annual family income should not exceed ₹3 lakh. |
| Child’s condition | The girl child must be born on or after April 1, 2019, to be eligible for the first stage benefit |
Financial Assistance Breakdown
Kanya Sumangala Yojana provides financial assistance in six different stages. A girl child can be given up to an amount of ₹15, 000. The following is the breakdown:
| Stage of Life | Amount (₹) | Details |
| At Birth | 2000 | Given to families after the birth of a girl child and registration under the scheme. |
After completing all vaccinations in the first year, the family receives the amount | 1000 | After completing all vaccinations in the first year, family receives the amount |
| Entry into Class I | 2000 | Upon admission into Class I, an amount is disbursed to encourage education. |
| Entry into Class VI | 2,000 | The assistance at this stage encourages families to continue the girl’s education in middle school. |
| Entry into Class IX | 3,000 | Given when the girl child enters secondary school to prevent dropouts at this critical stage. |
| Entry into Graduation/Professional Courses | 5,000 | Financial help for completing high school and enrolling in graduation or any professional course. |
Latest Developments and Updates in 2024
- Expansion of the Scheme: In 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government increased the eligibility for Kanya Sumangala Yojana; it even covers families with adopted girl children. Furthermore, an upward revision of the maximum income ceiling was done to facilitate the participation of many more families in this scheme.
- Digital Platforms and App Launch: Kanya Sumangala Yojana has been introduced as a mobile app to ease its application process. Families can now access their application status, payments, and verification processes via the app.
- User Friendly Application Process: A user-friendly document verification process has been instituted by the government especially addressing rural family needs. Uploading documents and completing application procedures are also supported by local block development offices for those without internet access.
- Scheme’s Impact: The transformative impact of the Kanya Sumangala Yojana on girls in Uttar Pradesh is noted:
| Year | Number of Beneficiaries | Funds Disbursed (₹ Crore) |
| 2021 | 5.4 lakh | 500 |
| 2022 | 6.2 lakh | 620 |
| 2023 | 7.1 lakh | 740 |
| 2024 | 8.0 lakh | 820 |
Implementation Challenges
Some challenges must be addressed, despite the program’s success:
- Awareness Levels: Certain families in remote regions or rural areas, do not know this program; hence it needs to have wider outreach programs to cover this gap.
- Documentation Issues: In some cases, delays in approval happen due to a lack of birth certificates or income certificates that other families have not procured.
- Gender Bias: In rural areas, people have societal biases against girls which are still hampering their progress. Though financial support is given for education, it may take time before biases are changed.
Promoting Improvement Initiatives in Government
The government has put in place the following measures to ensure better implementation of the plan:
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Several campaigns have been launched to enlighten parents on the advantages of the scheme. This includes media adverts, rural awareness campaigns, and community-level outreach.
- Collaboration with Schools: Schools in Uttar Pradesh are now playing an active role in spreading information about the scheme. Teachers are trained to encourage parents to enroll their daughters in the program.
- Helpline Services: A specific helpline has been established to help families through the application process and troubleshoot any problems.
Conclusion
Kanya Sumangala Yojana is one of the significant schemes targeted at empowering girls in Uttar Pradesh. The program enables girls’ education, postpones child marriage, and promotes gender equality through financial incentives given at various vital control points of female child’s life stages. Recent changes including the adoption of children and a digital application platform increase its scope for more beneficiaries in the years to come concerning this program.
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