Now, Kanyashree cover for post graduates also

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday extended her pet project Kanyashree to boost post-graduate studies and announced that NRIs would sponsor the 10 best meritorious female students of the state who want to pursue research. 

“Ten non-resident Indians (NRI) from America met me at the state secreteriat Nabanna on Thursday and offered to bear the total expense of 10 meritorious female students who wanted to pursue research. They will bear the expense of their fooding, lodging and education,” Ms Banerjee announced at the event of celebration of her Kanyashree scheme, which was recently awarded the first prize at United Nations Public Service Award ceremony.

Ms Banerjee added that if the student continues her studies beyond the age 18 at the university level, her government would be providing them with financial help for pursuing further studies. “The amount of Rs 25,000 they are getting will continue (if they don’t marry and continue their studies). We have had K1 (Kanyashree 1 for schools ) and K2 (for colleges). Now we are starting K3 (an extended version). This means that if Kanyshree girls, married or unmarried, apply for financial assistance after passing out from school and college and pursue post-graduate courses with a score 45 per cent, we will give Rs 2,500 every month to those opting for Science and Rs 2,000 to those opting for Arts,” she said.

Kanyashree is a conditional cash-transfer scheme that aims to improve the status of the girl child in Bengal by incentivising their schooling and delaying their marriages until the age of 18, which is the legal age of marriage.

Upto the age of 18, a one-time grant of '25,000 is deposited in her bank account, provided she is unmarried.