West Bengal govt to set up Kanyashree colleges, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said the state government would set up Kanyashree colleges in different districts of the state. 'Kanyashree' is a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme of the state government aimed at promoting education among girls.

"We are trying to come up with a university for the Kanyashree. Sooner or later that will be realised. I will also like to set up Kanyashree colleges in different districts," Banerjee said at the 'Kanyashree Divas' programme to celebrate sixth anniversary of the project. The West Bengal government has been observing the 'Kanyashree Divas' on August 14 since 2015 to mark the success of the project. The scheme was floated on this day in 2013.

"Today, the Kanyashree Scheme steps into its sixth year. Girls are now spread across the globe, excelling in different fields. I harbour a lot of hopes for my Kanyashree girls too. I want them to rise up in life with determination, dedication and devotion, using their education, culture and humanism as springboard," she said. The chief minister also advised girls to shed hatred towards each other and spread love.

"We will not hate anybody but love everyone. This is the message that all the great men of our motherland had preached," Banerjee added. "School, college and even university girls now get Kanyashree scholarships. Our government also provides Swami Vivekananda Scholarships for university education," she said.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee claimed that the 'Kanyashree Prakalpa' so far has helped over 60 lakh girls in West Bengal and the government has spent over Rs 7,000 crore on the scheme since 2013. Today is #KanyashreeDibas, a special day for #Bangla.

The #Kanyashree scheme, started in 2013, has since won the @UN (first prize) award. Girls are the assets of our state, our country and the world, Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. The Kanyashree scheme has two cash transfer components. An annual incentive of Rs 750 is given to girls in the age group 13 to 18 years who continue their study from class 8, provided they are unmarried at the time.

A one-time grant of Rs 25,000 is also given to them once they attain the age of 18, provided they are engaged in an academic or occupational pursuit and unmarried. The Mamata Banerjee government has been awarded by the United Nations for Public Service for its Kanyashree scheme in 2017..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)