Many schemes, programs, and plans have been rolled out by the Government of India to promote education for girls, help them to become financially independent, and scale newer heights. One such program is the Balika Samriddhi Yojana, which aims to improve the lives of female children by providing them financial assistance and other benefits. The programme’s primary objectives are to improve the attitude around the birth of a female child in a family and to prevent female infanticide.
This article explores the features of the Balika Samriddhi Yojana, including its benefits, inclusions, eligibility, and how to apply online for Balika Samriddhi Yojana. Read on!
The Government of India introduced the Balika Samriddhi Yojana as an initiative to improve the status of female children in families below the poverty line. The initiative is among the several schemes introduced by the Government for the welfare of its citizens. The initiative’s origins date back to 1997, and the initiative was one of the endeavours to promote women and child development.
The policy applies to girls born on or after August 15, 1997, in rural and urban areas. It improves the quality of primary and secondary education for girl children born in the economically weaker sections of society.
Balika Samriddhi Yojana translates to ‘a welfare scheme for female children. It works to uplift the girl child and strives to save them from social stigma and unfair treatment. Its objectives include:
In the early stages of its inception, the Balika Samriddhi Yojana entailed incentives for the family of the girl child. This included a cash gift of Rs. 500 for the mother of a girl child besides annual scholarships for her education. However, the Government restructured the scheme between 1999 and 2000. This redesigning aimed to make it more beneficial and to ensure that the proper beneficiaries avail the provisions.
With the latest amendment, the girls who are registered for Balika Samriddhi Yojana receive the following benefits:
Female children can be registered under Balika Samriddhi Yojana if they meet the following eligibility criteria:
Note: Only two girls per family are eligible for Balika Samriddhi Yojana benefits.
Families meeting the eligibility criteria can apply to Balika Samriddhi Yojana online and offline. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) executes the scheme in rural areas through Anganwadis, and the respective health departments execute the scheme in urban areas. Below are the steps for the application:
Step 1: Eligible candidates from rural and urban areas need to fill out separate forms. Families in rural areas can get the form from Anganwadi workers. Families in urban areas can contact the functionaries in the respective health department. The forms for Balika Samriddhi Yojana can also be accessed online.
Step 2: Beneficiaries must fill the form with all details and submit them through the same channel from where they received it.
Step 3: Submit the duly filled form to the health functionaries and Anganwadi.
To enrol in Balika Samriddhi Yojana, families must furnish the following documents in addition to the duly filled application form:
The deposit and withdrawal of funds into beneficiary accounts under Balika Samriddhi Yojana follow the procedure below:
Step 1: The Department of Women and Child Welfare disburses payments to the State Governments and the Union Territory Administrations.
Step 2: The State/ Union Territory Administration then disburses the funds to the implementing agencies, who release them to the beneficiary accounts.
When the elected bodies change, municipalities and gram panchayats assume the responsibility to identify beneficiary females under the scheme. They take care of the dissemination of scheme data and application procedures with the help of voluntary firms. They also enlist eligible applications.
The amount received post-birth, and the annual scholarships under Balika Samriddhi Yojana are deposited into the beneficiary account. These accounts are generally opened in a public sector bank or the post office. The Government intends that the funds earn as much interest as possible when it is deposited in the account. The family is thus advised to invest in Government savings schemes like the PPF or NSC.
The amount collected can be used to buy books and other essentials like uniforms for the child. This amount can also be used to pay insurance premiums under Bhagyashri Balika Kalyan Bima Yojana.
Here are some essential points to remember before you apply for Balika Samriddhi Yojana online:
The Balika Samriddhi Yojana is one of the many Government schemes aimed to uplift the status of the girl child and get her the rights she deserves. Balika Samriddhi Yojana is an excellent initiative in the right direction and has helped numerous families educate their daughters. The number of beneficiaries and the amount paid out have increased steadily over the years since the scheme’s inception. The simple application procedure makes accessing the benefits easier for many families.
Ans: Girl children born on or after August 15, 1997, to families below the poverty line or in economically weaker sections are eligible for Balika Samriddhi Yojana.
Q2. Is there any benefit offered at the time of birth?Ans: Yes, girl children from economically weaker sections are eligible for a cash amount of Rs. 500 at birth. This is also deposited into the beneficiary bank account associated with the scheme.
Q3. What is the last date to apply for Balika Samriddhi Yojana?Ans: There are no application dates, and the scheme is open throughout the year. Eligible beneficiaries can apply for Balika Samriddhi Yojana online as well.
Q4. Can families with more than two girl children benefit from the scheme?Ans: Families from economically weaker sections can access Balika Samriddhi Yojanabenefits for their daughters. However, only two children per family are eligible for scheme-related benefits irrespective of the total number of children.
Q5. What happens in case the registered child dies before 18 years of age?Ans: In case of death before 18, the family can withdraw the amount accumulated in the bank account along with interest earned.
