Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme West Bengal

Kanyashree Prakalpa, launched by the Government of West Bengal on 1st October 2013, is a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme that incentivizes the schooling of all teenage girls between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, simultaneously dis-incentivizing child marriage.

Department of Women Development & Social Welfare and Child Development implements Kanyashree Prakalpa in West Bengal.

Objectives of Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme

Kanyashree Prakalpa seeks to improve the status and wellbeing of girls, specifically those from socio-economically disadvantaged families through Conditional Cash Transfers by:

• Incentivizing them to continue in education for a longer period of time, and complete secondary or higher secondary education, or equivalent in technical or vocational steams, thereby giving them a better footing in both the economic and social spheres.

• Disincentivising marriage till at least the age of 18, the legal age of marriage, thereby reducing the risks of early pregnancies, associated risks of maternal and child mortality, and other debilitating health conditions, including those of malnutrition.

• It was also decided that the Scheme should confer more than just monetary support; it should be a means of financial inclusion and a tool of empowerment for adolescent girls. The schemes benefits are therefore paid directly to bank accounts in the girls names, leaving the decision of utilization of the money in their hands.

• To reinforce the positive impact of increased education and delayed marriages, the scheme also works to enhance the social power and self-esteem of girls through a targeted behaviour change communication strategy. The communication strategy not only builds awareness of the scheme, but includes adolescent-friendly approaches like events, competitions and Kanyashree clubs, and the endorsement of strong women figures as role models to promote social and psychological empowerment. 

As more and more girls remain in school, it is envisaged that they will use the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge that will help them become economically independent. Even if girls do get married soon after they turn 18, it is expected that their education and enhanced social and emotional development will give them a better foundation for in their adult lives. And over time, as entire generations of women enter marriages only after they have some degree of economic independence, it is expected that the practice of child marriage is completely eradicated, and women will attain their right to health, education and socio-economic equality.

Benefits of Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme

The scheme has two cash transfer components:

• The first is an Annual incentive of Rs. 1000/- to be paid annually to the girls in the age group 13 to 18 years (studying in Class VIII equivalent or above for every year that they remained in education, provided they are unmarried at the time.

• The second is a One-Time Grant of Rs. 25,000/-, to be paid after a girl turns 18, provided that she was engaged in an academic or occupational pursuit and was unmarried.

Eligibility Criteria of Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme

The Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme is a social welfare scheme launched by the Government of West Bengal aimed at improving the status and well-being of girls from socio-economically disadvantaged families in the state. Here is a detailed description of the eligibility criteria for the scheme:

• Age limit: Girls between the ages of 13 and 18 years are eligible for the scheme. Girls who have already turned 18 years of age are eligible to apply for the one-time grant under the scheme.

• Annual income limit: The scheme applies to girls from families with an annual income of up to Rs. 1.2 lakhs. The income of the girl's parents or guardians will be taken into consideration while determining eligibility for the scheme.

• Educational criteria: Girls who are studying in classes 8 to 12 in government-aided or recognized schools are eligible to apply for the annual scholarship provided under the scheme.

• Marital status: Unmarried Girls are eligible to apply for the one-time grant provided under the scheme. Girls who are already married are not eligible for the scheme.

• Citizenship: The scheme applies only to girls who are residents of West Bengal and studying in schools or colleges in the state.

It is important to note that the scheme is targeted towards girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and therefore, strict eligibility criteria have been put in place to ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.

Who are not covered under Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme

While the Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme is aimed at improving the status and well-being of girls from socio-economically disadvantaged families in West Bengal, there are certain exclusions to the scheme.

• Age limit: Girls who are younger than 13 years or older than 18 years are not eligible for the scheme.

• Income limit: Girls from families with an annual income of more than Rs. 1.2 lakhs are not eligible for the scheme.

• Married girls: Girls who are already married are not eligible for the scheme.

• Girls studying in private schools: Girls studying in private schools are not eligible for the annual scholarship provided under the scheme.

• Non-residents of West Bengal: The scheme applies only to girls who are residents of West Bengal and studying in schools or colleges in the state.

• It is important to note that the scheme is targeted toward the most vulnerable and marginalized girls in the state, and therefore, strict eligibility criteria have been put in place to ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.

Documents Required for Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme

You must have a bank account opened in your name and you should mention your name in the application form same as that that exists in your bank account.

How to apply for Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme?

All first-time Kanyashree applicants, whether applying for the Annual Scholarship (K1) or for the One-Time Grant (K2), will be provided pre-printed forms by the educational institution they are enrolled in.

For convenience, K1 forms are printed on light green paper (See Appendix 1), and K2 forms are printed on light blue paper.

Beneficiaries will have to fill in their application forms and hand them over, along with necessary certifications to designated persons in their educational institutions. As per the West Bengal Public Services Delivery Act, 2013 (WBPSDA 2013), Head of Institutions (HOIs) will provide acknowledgment receipt (marked with their Application Form No.) to the applicants. 

All application forms received by the educational institutions shall be immediately entered into the portal along with scanned bank details.

Only in cases where the educational institutions are unable to process applications because of lack of computer facilities, application forms are sent for data-entry to the appropriate block office / sub-divisional office or to the nearest CLRC. Once an application has been successfully uploaded, the portal creates a unique Kanyashree Identification Number (Kanyashree ID) and a Kanyashree Identity Card, which must be handed over to the beneficiary. 

Once uploaded, applications and certifications become visible for scrutiny and subsequently sanction and payment through direct bank transfer. There is no physical movement of paper forms, and no manual generation of scrutiny or sanction lists. These are entirely automated, and applications become visible to the appropriate officer / unit (user) depending on the user's authorization level. Wherever possible, batch processing of applications has been implemented, without compromising on data or process integrity.

Each pre-printed form has its own unique identification number (Form Number). District, sub-divisional and block units shall maintain a track of application forms distributed to educational institutions in their respective administrative domains, and check the portal to ensure that beneficiaries' applications are being uploaded in a timely manner. 

All sanctioned and rejected application forms are retained for sample verifications with the institutions or in offices of BDOs (for rural areas), Sub Divisional Officers (for urban areas) and Director, Social Welfare (Kolkata). Renewal of the Annual Scholarships are to be processed in bulk by Heads of Institutions, with beneficiaries only providing certificates of eligibility.

For girls up-grading from the annual scholarship to the one-time grant, application forms with details of the applicant will be generated on-demand on the portal by the educational institution. Once filled in, these, along with necessary certificates, will be handed back to the Heads of Institutions for further processing.

Fees Required to apply for Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme

There is no fee for applying to the scheme. The application is free of cost.