[Assam] Special scheme for girl kid, pregnant in Assam

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Special scheme for girl kid, pregnant in Assam

*Under the scheme a new-born girl child would be given a fixed deposit
instrument worth Rs 5,000, while a would-be mother would get Rs 1,000 in
cash  *

2/19/2009 3:24:31 PM
Guwahati: The Government of Assam has come up with an ingenious scheme worth
Rs 180 crore to do away with the traditional gender bias by offering
financial assistance to the girl child and radical measures to improving the
health of would-be mothers.

As part of a scheme named 'Majoni' (Assamese for little girls), a new-born
girl child would be given a fixed deposit instrument worth Rs 5,000, while a
would-be mother would get Rs 1,000 in cash—Rs 500 each during the first two
check ups.

But there is a catch. The scheme is applicable only to those who were born
in government or charitable hospitals. And the same rule applies for
would-be mothers to get the cash incentives—they have to get their check-ups
in government-run hospitals.

"The fixed deposit of Rs 5,000 could be encashed by the girl herself when
she attains the age of 16 (50 per cent of the total amount accrued) and the
full amount when she turns 18," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
said.

"She can use the money to get admission in a college when she turns 16 after
passing her board exams, and two years later when she completes 12th
standard and qualifies to get admission in engineering or a medical college,
she can use the remaining amount," he said.

Fatima Akhtar, a three-week-old girl child, was the first recipient of the
Majoni scheme with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi handing over the fixed deposit
to her mother at a function in Guwahati on Wednesday.

"We want to do away with any form of gender bias and help the girl child
grow with dignity," the Health Minister said.

The special assistance scheme for the girl child would cost the state
exchequer Rs 100 crore annually.

"Would-be mothers who come for check-ups in government hospitals would get
Rs 500 each during the first two visits. At least when they go home, they
can buy some nutritious food with the money," the Minister said.

The government also launched an ambitious family planning scheme—couples
choosing not to have children for two years after getting married would get
an incentive of Rs 5,000 and those who opt not to have children for three
years would get Rs 7,500.

http://www.igovernment.in/site/Special-scheme-for-girl-kid-pregnant-in-Assam/