About the department:- The Social Welfare department is implementing welfare schemes in connection with encourage the girls to complete their education and prevent child marriage.
- Structure of the department:- District Project Management Unit (DPMU) under the office of the District Magistrate, Block Project Management Unit under the office of the BDO for Rural areas, Sub-divisional Project Management Unit under the office of the SDO.
- Schemes under that department:- Kanyashree Prakalpa
- About the schemes:- 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.
4. Required Eligibility for applying the schemes:- While Kanyashrees Annual Scholarship of Rs. 1000/- is for girls who are between the ages of 13 and 18 years, the one-time grant of Rs. 25,000/- is for girls who are between the ages of 18 and 19.
5. However, Kanyashree is NOT for ALL girls. Both the annual scholarship and the one-time grant are only for those girls who are:
◘ Residents of West Bengal AND
◘ Enrolled and regularly attending an educational institution AND
◘ Unmarried AND
◘ Student must have a bank account openend in your own name and you should mention your name in the application form same as that exists in your bank account.
Girls will be eligible for Kanyashrees Annual Scholarship or the One-Time grant if they are studying in any one of the following:
1)In Class VIII or above in a school, madrassah or equivalent open school course.
2)In a college or equivalent open university course .
3)A Vocational Training Centre, Technical Training Centre or Industrial Training Centre
4)Girls enrolled in Sports Institutes may apply for the One-Time Grant. They cannot however, apply for the Annual Scholarship.
The educational institution MUST be registered in West Bengal AND recognized by the government
She should apply for the Annual Scholarship as soon as you turn 13 years of age. you must be studying in Class VIII or above.
Although you can apply for the one-time grant anytime between the ages of 18 and 19, it is better to do so as soon as you turn age 18
6. Method of applying for the scheme :- Collect the application form from the institution you are studying in Applying for Kanyshree Prakalpa is easy – all schoolscolleges or institutions mentioned above with female students will have Kanyashree application forms.
Make sure you get the correct form –
The application forms for the Annual Scholarship – also called K1, are printed on light green paper, while the One-Time Grant application forms, also called K2 are printed on light blue paper.
Girls who have received K1 and are still below 18yrs fulfilling other conditions (Renewal):
Please get in touch with your HOI who would verify your unmarried status and age and would process your renewal.
Girls who have received K1 and have crossed 18yrs now (Up-Gradation):
Please collect pre-printed K2 Up-gradation form from the institution, fill it up and again submit. If you have already received K1 please do not fill up the coloured K2 form, you will be treated as a duplicate applicant in that case.
You must have a bank account in your name when applying for the Scheme. This is because Kanyashrees benefits will be sent by the government DIRECTLY to your bank account. If you do not have a bank account, ask your institutions head teacher to assist you in opening one.
Please ensure the spelling of your name do not differ in the bank account and that of the application form.
You or your parents need to fill up all the details in the form. Again, your teachers and head teacher may be approached to help if you are not sure what to do. Your form needs to be signed by several people – check page 3 of the application form.
Caution:
a) Check the spelling of your name you are going to enter in the application form. It must be same as that of your bank account.
b) Please enter your mobile number correctly because you will get updates regarding status of your application on your mobile number entered in the form.
c) Put your signature on page 1,2 and 3 of the form.
d) Preserve the acknowledgement form for further tracking of your application.
◘ 5.4 Provide necessary documents :
You need to submit photo-copies of the following:
• Your birth certificate. If you are applying for the Annual Scholarship and do not have a birth certificate, you may ask your head teacher to certify your age from the schools records. However, when your Scholarship comes up for renewal in the following year, it will not be processed unless you obtain a birth certificate in the meanwhile.
• A statement declaring that you are unmarried. This should be signed by one of your parents.
Note: An income statement however, is not necessary if you are specially-abled (with disability of 40% or more) OR have lost both parents OR are resident of a Home registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. Instead,
o If you are specially- abled, please submit a copy of your disability certificate
o If you have lost both parents, please submit a statement signed by your legal guardian stating that both your parents are deceased. Also submit their death certificates.
• Your bank passbook page which shows your name, address and bank account number or any certificate issued by the bank to this effect.
◘ 5.5 Collect your acknowledgement receipt :
Your Kanyashree application form has a tear-off section on Page 3 titled Acknowledgement as per WBRTPS Act 2013. When you hand over your completed application form to your Head Teacher, he / she will fill the details in, sign it and put an official stamp, tear-off that portion and hand it over to you.
KEEP THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SLIP CAREFULLY – it contains your Form No, name and other details, and is proof that you have applied for Kanyashree.
Once you hand-over a complete application with all supporting documents to your institution, the application is uploaded onto the Kanyashree Portal (wbkanyashree.gov.in).
Once uploaded, your application is in several stages – you can track your application on the portal. To do so, you must know your Form No. (You will find that on the Acknowledgement Slip given to you when you handed in your application to your Head Teacher).
Once your application is sanctioned, your money will go directly to your bank account. The bank will send an SMS to the cell phone number you have mentioned on your form. You may also visit your bank to check if your money has been credited to your account.
If after two months of giving in the application, your bank account is not credited with the money, you should take some remedial action (see section below: Who do I go to for help?)
If you are have received the annual scholarship while studying in one institution, and are now moving to another, please sure that the institution you are leaving transfers your Kanyashree record to the institution you are going to. This transfer is an online process which your head teacher will be familiar with.
Whenever you change your institution your previous HOI will have to mark you transfer on portal. Otherwise your new institution will be unable to process your further applications.
7. Grievance Redressal:- Applicants / beneficiaries may report a grievance by phone, online, or by a letter to their respective block, Sub-divisional or Corporation office.
Block, Sub-Division and Corporations shall ensure that proper record of the grievances lodged by beneficiaries are maintained, and are addressed without delay.
8.Statistics/Achievements:-
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No. of application received (K-1)
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No. of application received (K-2)
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No. of application sanctioned (K-1)
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No. of application sanctioned (K-2)
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No. of application disbursed (K-1)
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No. of application disbursed (K-2)
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979692
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157655
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970897
|
154542
|
970897
|
154542
|
