Maharashtra launches financial scheme to help girls

The Lek Laadki scheme also aims to encourage education of girls. Representation pic

As a measure to empower girl children, the state government has announced a financial scheme, in which a sum of over Rs 1 lakh will be given to a girl, beginning from her birth till she turns 18. Girls born on or after April 1, 2023 from needy families will be covered under the sop.

The decision was taken at a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The scheme will be applicable to families that have either the saffron or yellow ration card (annual income not more than Rs 1 lakh). At least Rs 5,000 will be deposited after the birth, Rs 6,000 when the girl is in Std 1, Rs 7,000 when she is in Std 7, Rs 8,000 when she is in Std 11 and Rs 75,000 when she turns 18 years old. The total sum will be Rs 1,01,000. The scheme has been named ‘Lek Laadki' (beloved daughter).

It will be the upgraded version of the previous ‘Kanya Bhagyashree' scheme. The then finance minister Devendra Fadnavis had made an announcement to this effect in his budget speech. The CMO said the scheme was planned to increase the birth rate of girl children, to encourage their education, reduce their death rate, prevent child marriages and control malnutrition.

The benefit will be given to maximum two girl children in a family. In case, twin daughters are born after the first girl child, the twins stand to gain independent benefit. However, one of their parents will have to undergo family planning surgery.

Koyna dam tourism

The government has lifted a ban on tourism activities in the area beyond 9 km from the Koyna dam wall and hydroelectric complex. The inner circle of 7 km radius and a further 2 km buffer zone will be banned for tourism activities.

The provisions of the Official Secrets Act have been changed to throw the area open to tourism. The legislature will approve it in the amendment in December. One of the oldest hydroelectric projects, Koyna has been a source of attraction for tourists, especially those who want to spend time amid the biodiversity of the forest and be close to the reservoir that is spread across beautiful valleys and thousands of hectares of land. The CMO said the linear area of 80 km in the CM's native Satara district will be developed for water sports and allied tourism. A grant of Rs 47 crore was approved for creating a water sports centre at Munawale.

Rs 1,01,100
The total sum a girl will get by the time she is 18