Synopsis
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched Assam’s ‘Nijut Moina Scheme’ to provide monthly financial aid for girl students from higher secondary to postgraduate levels. The initiative, worth Rs. 1500 crore, aims to encourage higher education and reduce child marriage, targeting 10 lakh girls over four years and linking benefits to attendance and marital status.
PTIAssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched ‘Nijut Moina Scheme’- a monthly financial assistance scheme to increase girls’ enrolment in higher education and fight against child marriage.
It may be noted that the scheme has been envisaged to encourage the girl students to pursue their higher studies. The scheme will also complement the already ongoing ‘free admission’ scheme of the government.
As a part of the scheme, monthly financial assistance for girl students from HS to PG level in government and government aided educational institutions will be given. Financial support to be given 10 months in an academic year. A student in HS First year will be entitled to Rs. 10 thousand that is Rs. 1 thousand every month for 10 months. A student at graduate level will be entitled to Rs. 12,500 that is Rs. 1250 for every month and PG level student will be entitled to 25,000 that is Rs. 2500 for every month for 10 months in a year. Financial assistance to be transferred through DBT from October 10, 2024.
Sarma on the occasion said that launching of Nijut Moina Scheme has a core social message which is to end child marriage. The Rs.1500 crore scheme will be benefitting 10 lakh girls in four years. Referring to National Family Health Survey 2019-21, he said that 31.8 per cent women of 20 to 24 years from Assam have become mothers which means most of them get married before 18 years of age.
As a result, they are deprived of adequate nutrition and education. Different survey suggests that in the districts like Dhubri, South Salmara, more than 50 per cent women marry before they attain the age of 18 years. In fact, some of the surveys even indicate that sometimes some of the girls embrace motherhood even at the age of 12-13 years. He said that though laws have been passed to end child marriage, education is the only deterrent to discourage child marriage.
The Chief Minister also said that around three lakh girls study up to Class X. However, the enrolment in Higher Secondary reduces drastically. In most of the cases their penury compels them to end their studies mid-way. Therefore, State government has launched free admission scheme in the year 2016.
Sarma also said that to end child marriage, vocational education also plays a great role. Vocational education enables a girl to get employment, which becomes a source of motivation for the parents as well as the girls. Keeping this objective in mind, State government has adopted Nijut Moina, an ambitious scheme. He said that a girl student will be entitled to the benefits of the scheme in the second year provided she has regular attendance, and she does not indulge in ragging. Meanwhile if a girl is married in HS and Degree, she will be barred from the benefits of the scheme. Similarly, the daughters of MLAs, MPs and Ministers will not be eligible for the scheme. The Chief Minister said that in the next 3 to 4 years 10 lakh girls will be brought under the ambit of the scheme. He also reiterated on the need of updating the KYC of the beneficiary bank accounts to ensure uninterrupted transfer of benefits.
Sarma said that innovation is the key to take Assam to a higher growth trajectory. He, therefore, asked the teachers to take special care to spark the innovative ideas of the students and hone their innovative talents.
Addressing the students at the 34th foundation day celebration of Sonapur College at Sonapur today, Sarma said that India retained 40th position in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023. He said that the unprecedented fillip given by the present government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi enabled India to better its innovation index. He said that the startup proliferation in the country can be attributed to the innovative skill of the youth.
He on the occasion, asked Sonapur College teaching fraternity to take special step to hone the innovative faculty of the students. Sarma said that Sonapur College is known for its courses, which have the potential to stimulate the entrepreneurial skills of the students. He said that the department of Travel and Tourism Management, Department of Retail Management and IT, Department of Theatre and Stage Craft have the potential to stir the entrepreneurial acumen of the students and make them job creators instead of job seekers.
Sarma also asked Sonapur College to introduce a course on semiconductor. He said that setting up of Semiconductor Assembly, Test, Marketing and Packing unit at Jagiroad will open new vistas for employment. He, therefore, asked Sonapur College to take the advantage, empower its students to take up jobs in semiconductor sector. He, moreover, said that Industry 4.0 which demands delivering real time decision making, enhanced productivity, flexibility and agility, the students should learn the special traits and make them competent to reap the benefits of fourth industrial revolution. The Chief Minister said that since every youth is endowed with unique ability, the colleges across the state should prepare agenda for skilling the youth.
