Having recorded a double-digit fiscal growth rate, from 4.2% to 10.5% in the year of 2019-20, Bihar is strutting ahead to augment its rate of female literacy, since the year 2018, with the implementation of Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana and an associated scheme called Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana, under the Nitish Kumar government.
From the polls to the pathshalas, the turnout of women candidates has only been on a promising rise since 2018-19. This new cash transfer scheme of Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana, loosely translating to ‘CM Girl Uplifting Scheme’, has opened the door to a new and safe reality for the female students who, so far, has been the torch-bearers to a legacy of embedded generational women oppression and torture.
In the opinion of the article, what essentially differentiates this Yojana from the previous educational policies for women, such as the Mukyamantri Akshar Anchal Yojana (2009) and the Mukyamantri Balika Poshak Yojana (2008), is its intrinsic potential to necessitate the completion of the adult education in the girls – upon the clearance of the Intermediate level, a monetary aid of ₹10,000 will be provided to the girl child as an encouragement for enrollment into colleges and upon completion of graduation, a reward amount of ₹25,000 shall be given, suitably working as a preventive measure against the possibility of dropping-out.
Therefore, from birth to the age of 21, girls receive a total sum of ₹54,100 – the largest sum transferred to help their independent transition into adult life. Interestingly, Bihar, a staunch believer of hereditary conventions opposing women emancipation and modernization tendencies, presents this exemplary scheme whereby girls’ pursuit of adult education will, indeed, challenge the existing rigidity of cultural norms.
This Yojana also innovatively promotes awareness about reproductive health amongst women through mechanisms of education. By ensuring education to the girl child, a chain reaction sets off. Improving literacy leads to delayed age of marriage, fewer and healthier children, and a reduction in poverty.
State Health Minister Mangal Pandey told PTI that the scheme that provides an incentive for completing immunization within two years of birth would help maintain the good health of girls. This Mukhyamantri Yojana of 2018 institutionalized the rebellion against age-old gender norms with determined attempts to improve female literacy, which will translate into better health outcomes in the short run and poverty alleviation in the long run.
In an interview conducted by UNICEF (India), Anisha, an 18-year-old BA (Hons) student in Geography says that “[This program] is proving to be a great initiative for some of the girls who want to get higher education without being pressurized by their family to drop out for an early marriage.”
Another feature is the scheme of the Bicycle Yojana. This represents the formulation of a concrete action plan required to effectuate the Girl Uplifting Scheme, predominantly because by providing free transportation to those female students in need, one actualizes their access to such policies and education. This characteristic proves instrumental, especially when the girl lacks a support system regarding cooperation from her family and friends to pursue schooling.
As the scheme aims to target a wider base, in efforts to include as many female students in Bihar as possible, a family can enrol up to two girl children. Thus, it steadily accelerates towards its goal of providing 1.6 crore girls with welfare benefits every year.
The Nitish Kumar government has also launched a counterpart policy of Vidyarthi Protsahan Yojana (2021), wherein the Cabinet released a total of ₹34 crores from the Bihar Contingency Fund to pay incentives and allowances to the marginalized students specifically. Yet, this Kanya Utthan Yojana proves to be a detour of sorts. It has no limitations based on caste, income or even religion, thus making the program truly universal.
Evidential accounts of several prospering female students are a burning testament to Bihar’s bold vision of transforming an entire generation of girls through universal access to basic services, from birth to adolescence, translating into the success of this scheme. This is a paradigmatic shift in Bihar’s attitude towards women empowerment, reviving hope in the possibilities of having an institutionally guaranteed provision of higher education for girls in India.
The author is a Kaksha Correspondent as a part of writers’ training program under Kaksha Crisis.