Lakhs of girls seek govt doles, UP budget sees crores deficit

Under Hamari Beti Uska Kal, girls from minority communities who have cleared class X in 2012 will be given financial assistance of Rs 30,000 for higher studies or marriage, provided the family's annual income does not exceed Rs 36,000.

Here, 1,12,566 girls have applied for the financial assistance which would cost more than Rs 337.00 crore. The budgetary allocation is only Rs 300 crore, which includes Rs 100 crore in the regular budget and Rs 200 crore in the supplementary budget. The Minority Welfare Department had fixed a target of benefiting 78,796 girls.

Padhey Betiyan Badhey Betiyan scheme is similar. It is meant for girls from BPL families who have cleared class X in 2012 and enrolled in the next class; they are paid Rs 30,000.

For this scheme, already 4.7 lakh girls have applied. "The number will increase as we are still receiving details from several districts," said Santwana Tiwari, Joint Director of Secondary Education. The budget allocation is only Rs 98 crore while paying 4.7 lakh girls will cost Rs 1,410 crore.

In all three schemes, the government has laid down certain conditions to restrict the numbers. For example, district officials have been asked to make the list of beneficiaries under Kanya Vidya Dhan Yojna in ascending order of their family income and make payment accordingly so that the budget is not exceeded.

For Hamari Beti Uska Kal, the benefit will be provided on the basis of 'first come, first served'. In Padhey Betiyan Badhey Betiyan, the Secondary Education Department has been asked to select the candidates by making their list in descending order of their high school marks.

However, applicants are unaware as the restrictions are not mentioned in the applications forms. In any case, the restrictions have become irrelevant after the Chief Minister's assurance.

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