Target to facilitate education of 900,000 adolescent girls: Jharkhand govt

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday said it aims at facilitating the education of nine lakh adolescent girls in the state under the Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana (SPKSY).

The welfare programme was launched by Chief Minister Hemant Soren in October last year from Giridih along with the 'Aapki Yojana Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwar' campaign, an initiative to take the benefits of various government schemes at the doorsteps of villagers.

"The Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana is an effort of the state government to facilitate the education of adolescent girls and a step towards women empowerment and gender justice...Nine lakh adolescent girls of the state shall be covered by this scheme," a statement issued by the government said.

Under the 'Aapki Yojana' campaign, which went on for a month, three lakh adolescent girls were linked to the scheme.

"In a programme organised on the completion of three years of the government, the chief minister transferred a total amount of Rs 219 crore to accounts of more than 5.52 lakh adolescent girls," the statement said.

The objective of the scheme is not only providing financial assistance to adolescent girls for education, but also ensuring that the girls don't drop out from school, and preventing child marriage, it said.

"The Jharkhand government has exhibited honour by naming two of its scholarship schemes after Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda, the iconic leader of the Jharkhand movement and the first captain of the Indian hockey team, and Savitribai Phule, the first teacher of our country," the statement said.

The Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme is meant for higher education abroad for youths belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and minority and backward classes.

Recently the state government expanded the scope of the overseas scholarship by signing an MoU with the British High Commission.

"It should be noted that at present, six students are pursuing higher education abroad under the overseas scholarship scheme. Whereas, in the current academic session, 20 are getting benefits of the scheme," the statement said.

Previously, the benefit of this initiative was provided to only ten boys and girls belonging to the scheduled tribes.

On the directions of the chief minister last year, the benefit of the scheme has been extended to youths belonging to scheduled castes, minorities and backward classes, the statement said, adding that the number has been increased to a maximum of 25.