GUWAHATI: In a significant move to combat child marriage, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a scheme to provide monetary benefits to girl students every month.
The scheme—Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni (MMNMA)—is expected to cover 10 lakh girl students of the state. It is a monetary scheme for female students enrolled in government and government-aided institutions to act as a deterrent against child marriage.
Under the scheme, the beneficiaries will be supported with financial grants as admission incentives to continue their education to higher secondary, graduation and post-graduation studies.
The scheme will cost the exchequer Rs 300 crore in the first year and around 1,500 crore over a five-year period.
According to the state government, the scheme would increase the enrollment ratio of girls in schools, colleges, and universities, and around 200,000 more girl students are expected to enroll in educational institutions this year.
“Today we have launched the Rs1500cr Nijut Moina Asoni –a Brahmastra to end child marriage,” Chief Minister Sarma posted on X.
According to the scheme, girl students who have passed Class 10 and have enrolled in Class 11 will get Rs10,000 per month (excluding two months of summer vacation) for two years till they complete their Class 12 board exams. The amount will be transferred to their bank accounts on the 11th of every month, Sarma said.
Girls who have completed Class 12 boards and enrolled in degree courses will get a monthly stipend of Rs12,500 for the next three to four years till they complete their graduation.
Those girls who have enrolled in post-graduation courses will get Rs.25,000 per month till they complete their courses, Sarma added.
School and college girl students who have been married would not be able to get the benefits of the scheme. But if they have been married while pursuing postgraduate, they will be able to get benefits, Sarma said.
Notably, under the scheme daughters of MLAs, MPs and ministers will not be eligible for the scheme.
Students who are studying in private schools, colleges, and universities will also not be able to avail themselves of the benefits of the MMNMA scheme.
Stating that the scheme is aimed at empowering girl students, Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu said, “This ambitious scheme, undertaken by the state government to combat child marriage and to provide a secure educational future for girl students, is a historic step for women’s education in Assam.”
He further said, “I urge all girl students in the state government’s HS/SS schools, colleges, and universities to start collecting forms for the ‘Mukhyamantri Nijut Moina Scheme’ from today.”
