Guwahati: The Assam government on Monday introduced the “Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina” (MMNM) scheme which plans to empower 10 lakh girls (one million — Nijut Moina) will be supported with financial grants as admission incentives to continue their education to higher secondary, graduation and post-graduation studies.
The scheme is implemented to bolster the Government’s Mission to eliminate child marriages. Apart from punitive and regulatory measures, we need to empower the girl child to decide about when to marry.
Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog while announcing the scheme during the Budget speech said “An admission incentive of Rs.10,000 will be paid to each of the girl students who join in Class Eleven. Similarly, Rs. 12,500 will be paid to those girls who join graduation first year. For a female student who joins in the first year of the post-graduation course shall get an admission incentive of Rs. 15,000.”
“This is in addition to the existing benefits like free admission, provision of Scooty, etc as applicable. I propose to set apart Rs. 240 crore towards this scheme in this budget,” she added.
“If ten lakh girl children are encouraged to study till graduation and post-graduation, this would also increase the percentage of girls educated beyond Matriculation. They will be eligible for this benefit only if they study in any government college/education institution. Secondly, the girls married are not eligible for this benefit” the Assam Finance Minister’s speech stated.