Maya’s baby scheme takes off in a ‘poor show’

All districts will be organising functions where the district magistrates would be handing over cheques to 10 chosen parents each. The nodal department for this scheme is the Department of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS),while the district administrations have been given the charge to implement the scheme.

According to the officials of the department,the districts are ready with their first list of beneficiaries. “This scheme is for all baby girls born after January 15,2009. We had already asked the districts to invite the applications,scrutinise them properly and then decide on the beneficiaries,” said JB Singh,additional director (ICDS).

Going by the number of applications received in the districts,it seems the scheme has struck a chord. In just 15 days,the state capital received 76 applications of which only 26 were found to be eligible,with 10 of them selected for the function.

In Varanasi,of 55 applications,11 were found to be eligible and all these would be given their cheques on February 4. Similarly in Gorakhpur,of the 61 applications,17 were found to be eligible.

Although all the girls would be getting Rs 1 lakh as they turn 18,the amount being deposited currently differs in different districts. “We had asked the districts to opt for the banks offering the best interest rates to open these fixed deposits. So,the principal amount varies between Rs 20,000-Rs 21,000. But after maturity,the final amount including the interest would be calculated to Rs 1 lakh,” said Singh.

On the flip side,a huge number of applicants used fake BPL cards to stake their claims. “We did receive applications where the families did not feature in the BPL list but had submitted fake BPL cards or they had three daughters but they had shown the beneficiary child as their first-born. Since this is a scheme that has the CM’s name attached to it,we were extra cautious and have done scrutiny thrice,” said district magistrate of Varanasi,Ajay Kumar Upadhyaya.

In Lucknow too,the district administration received a number of fake applications. “We have got the list of the new-born girls cross-checked by Anganwadi workers and then the BDOs.”

More for girls
Apart from the Mahamaya Gareeb Balika Ashirwad Yojna,Mayawati will also handover cheques of Rs 15,000 and a cycle to the girls from the BPL families who have passed Class X exams in 2008 and are studying in Class XI as a part of the Savitri Bai Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna. On February 4,10 girls each from all the districts will be chosen for the first lot.