UTTARAKHAND: Female literacy rate in Uttarakhand for rural areas is a little over 66% whereas among males, the figure is over 86%. Women in the rural areas of the state have to not only take care of the household work but also go out and toil in the farms. In 2017, the state government launched Gaura Devi Kanyadhan Yojana with an aim to empower and assist girl students. Since then, the lives of thousands of women have changed. Here’s how it has worked. Manisha Bohra (20) says she got a financial assistance of Rs 51,000 from the state government two years back. “It changed my life.
I utilised the money for my education and was able to support my family financially,” says Manisha who is in second year of graduation from Champawat district. One can apply for the Kanyadhan Yojana scheme if the family income is less than Rs 72,000 a year. For the reserved category and below poverty level, this limit is Rs 15,976 per year. The government provides Rs 11,000 to infant girl children and Rs 52,000 after they pass Class XII with age not more than 25 years.
Rekha Arya, Women and Child Development Minister, says the scheme focuses on two main areas health and education. As many as 2,685 schools are registered under the scheme through which 32,870 applications have been received this year alone. Since its inception, the scheme has benefited more than 50,000 girls across the entire state. Prabha Bhatt (22), who wants to become a civil servant, is pursuing her final year of graduation.
“Such schemes enable beneficiaries like me to realise our dreams which would otherwise be killed silently. Due to this financial help, I was able to join coaching for my preparation for civil services.” Asha Sharma, an educationist based in Bhimtal of Nainital district, praises the initiative. “Empowering and nurturing girls is the noblest work,” she says.
In 2021, a budget of Rs 89 crore was utilised under the scheme, said government officials. Uttarakhand made it to the top 10 states in terms of gender ratio, securing 9th rank in India under ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme. Uttarakhand’s gender ratio is 949 females per 1,000 males this year. Last year, gender ratio for females was 938.
Five districts from the state have made it to top 30 districts of the country in terms of improving the gender ratio. These are Bageshwar (5th position), Almora (13th), Champawat (22nd), Dehradun (24th) and Uttarkashi at 25th. The child sex ratio declined from 930 in 2001 to 904 in 2011.