THE Maharashtra Government on Tuesday approved a financial scheme under which girls from families with low income levels will get amounts in different stages after their birth with the total for eligible beneficiaries coming to Rs 1.01 lakh when they turns 18.

 

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said girls from families holding yellow and orange ration cards will get Rs 5,000 at the time of their birth, Rs 6,000 when they are enrolled in Class I, Rs 7,000 in Class VII, Rs 8,000 in Class XII and Rs 75,000 once they complete 18 years of age (total Rs 1.01 lakh). The decision was announced by Shinde after presiding over a State Cabinet meeting here. The scheme, ‘Lek Ladki’ (beloved daughter), will be applicable for girls born after April 1, 2023, and it was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who then also held the finance portfolio, while presenting the budget for 2023-2024 earlier this year.

 

The scheme’s objectives are to increase the ratio of girls, promote their education, reduce malnourishment and child marriage. Manisha Kayande, a spokesperson for the ruling Shiv Sena, hailed the Cabinet decision and said the scheme will ensure the girl child is financially supported from the time she is born and will also help curb female infanticide.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to replace Aurangabad with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Dr Babasaheb Amebdkar Marathwada University’s name. Following this change, the institute’s name will now be Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.