What is Kanyashree Prakalpa?

Kanyashree Prakalpa is an initiative taken by the Government of West Bengal to improve the life and the status of girls by helping economically backward families with cash so that families do not arrange the marriage of their girl-child before eighteen years because of economic compulsions. It has been given international recognition by the United Kingdom’s Department of International Development and the UNICEF.

The scheme has two components-Annual scholarship of Rs 500 and one-time grant of Rs. 25,000. The annual scholarship is for unmarried girls aged 13-18 years, who are enrolled in class VII-XII in recognised regular or equivalent open schools or vocational/technical training courses.
Both the benefits under the scheme are granted to girls, who belong to families with annual family income not more than Rs 1.2 lakh.

The bar of family income is not applicable to the girls who lost both parents; who are physically challenged (40percent disabled) or are inmates of JJ Home. KanyashreePrakalpa has been designed to ensure that girls stay in school and delay their marriages till at least they are 18 years in age. Kanyashree's strategy is simple.

It uses a social safety net mechanism that has shown a high degree of success in transforming the lives of children and adolescents in several countries The term 'education' encompasses secondary and higher secondary education, as well as the various vocational, technical and sports courses available for this age group.