BANGALORE: The Bhagyalakshmi insurance scheme, covering 55,000 girl children born into below poverty line (BPL) families in the State after March 31, 2006 and their parents, has come into effect.

The scheme announced in the budget presented by Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is aimed at eliminating gender bias and ensuring education, at least up to first year pre-university, for girl children. The child gets a monthly scholarship of Rs. 100 starting from the ninth standard. Mr. Yediyurappa has earmarked Rs. 234 crore for 1,68,000 girls. However, the number might increase requiring another Rs. 60 crore.

The scheme has been launched to correct the adverse sex ratio in the State of 966 girls for 1,000 boys.

Under the programme, any girl child born after March 31, 2006 is eligible to get Rs.10,000 in her name. On the completion of 18 years, the girl can draw the amount along with interest.

Sources said that the Government was likely to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Life Insurance Corporation of India in a week. This would be followed by transferring Rs. 55 crore, deposited in the bank as and when a child is born, to the company for issuing policies to the parents.

Giving details of the scheme, an official said even parents of the girl child would be covered.

Mr. Yediyurappa did not wait for the various departments to issue the Government Order. He had to convince the heads of departments through persuasion. That was how the programmes have been implemented within four months, an official added.

Loans

According to the official, more farmers would utilise the agricultural loan at four per cent interest, made available for the first time in the country this year.

He maintained that while the Government disbursed only Rs. 80 crore during 2005-06 under the six per cent interest scheme, it might go up to Rs. 150 crore and even climb to Rs. 200 crore because of the low interest rate. Quoting a report, he said that less than one per cent of the farmers had obtained loans of more than Rs. 3 lakh last year, while 90 per cent applied and got Rs. 50,000.

Only six per cent of the farmers took loans over Rs. 1 lakh and three per cent in the range between Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail