The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Bhagyalakshmi scheme launched

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Thursday, Aug 09, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bhagyalakshmi scheme launched

Special Correspondent

A sum of Rs. 225 crore has been set aside for it in 2007-08

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

In safe hands: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa holding beneficiaries of the Bhagyalakshmi scheme, in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: Bhagyalakshmi — the first ever insurance scheme for girl children of BPL families providing financial support for their education, health and marriage, was launched by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy here on Wednesday.

The Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha, the venue of the inaugural function, and its environs wore a festive look with hundreds of women with their daughters from nook and corner of the State being present there.

These women were awe-struck upon seeing the majestic Vidhana Soudha, seat of the Government, and Attara Kacheri that houses the Karnataka High Court.

Announced 18 months ago by Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in the budget, the Department of Women and Child Welfare deposited Rs. 10,850 in the name of each child during 2006-07. A total of Rs. 166 crore had been set aside for 1.5 lakh children for the financial year. This year, Rs. 225 crore has been reserved, and Rs. 10,000 would be deposited in the name of each beneficiary.

The child gets health insurance cover up to a maximum of Rs. 25,000 a year. The girl would be given an annual scholarship of Rs. 300 to Rs. 1,000 up to tenth standard. Apart from these benefits, the parents would get Rs. 1 lakh in case of accident and Rs. 42,500 for natural death of the beneficiary. At the end of 18 years, the beneficiary would be paid Rs. 34,751.

Giving away certificates/bonds to the mothers of 27 children, drawn from each district, Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Yediyurappa spoke about the sex ratio which was 1,000 boys to 964 girls in the State. This trend, they said, went against the objective of achieving gender justice.

Under the scheme, the girl should be sent to an anganwadi till she attained the age of six. Then, she should study up to eighth standard to become eligible for receiving Rs. 34,751. Such an arrangement would ensure that the girl got minimum education and was not married off early.

He blamed the bureaucracy for the inordinate delay in implementing the coalition Government’s ambitious programme. He said that no government, including the UPA Government at the Centre, had implemented such a programme. Mr. Yediyurappa said the Sandhya Suraksha would be implemented soon, where a minimum monthly honorarium would be given to all those who had completed 65 years. This was irrespective of whether they had anybody to look after them in the family or not.

Health and Family Welfare Minister R. Ashok welcomed the gathering. Women and Child Welfare Minister H.K. Kumaraswamy spoke.

Shalini Rajnish, Secretary, Women and Child Welfare, R.V. Sharma, executive director, Life Insurance Corporation of India, and Shakuntala Shetty, chairperson, Karnataka Women and Child Development Corporation, were present.

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