The Assam government has made laudable steps to promote girls' education and address the issue of child marriage in the state.
The Assam government has made laudable steps to promote girls' education and address the issue of child marriage in the state. On June 12, 2024, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the commencement of the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina (MMNM) plan, which was approved by the Assam Cabinet.
Goals of the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Scheme
The main goals of the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina plan are:- Empowering Girls through Education: The plan aims to empower girls in the state by encouraging them to pursue education through financial incentives and government support.
- Reducing Child Marriage: By empowering girls through education, the project hopes to contribute to a reduction in child marriage incidences in Assam.
Financial incentives for female students
The Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina plan would help over 10 lakh female students in the state. The initiative offers the following cash incentives:- upper Secondary Education: Girls enrolling in upper secondary education would earn Rs. 1,000 per month from the government.
- graduating Courses: The incentive for ladies doing a three- or four-year degree graduating course is Rs. 1,200 per month.
- Post-Graduation and B.Ed.: Girl students pursuing Post-Graduation or B.Ed. degrees would earn Rs. 2,500 per month.
Eligibility criteria
While the initiative intends to help a considerable number of female students, certain groups are ineligible for the incentives.- Daughters of Ministers and Members of Assam Legislative Assembly (MLAs)
- Female students who earned scooters under the state government plan for succeeding in Higher Secondary (HS) examinations
- Students enrolling at private colleges and universities (excluding entrepreneurial institutions).
- Girl students who are sporadic in attendance or engaged in unpleasant behaviors like ragging
Funding and Implementation
The Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina plan is estimated to cost the state government Rs. 1,500 crore over the next five years. For the first year, the government has set out Rs. 300 crore for the scheme's execution.About Assam
Assam, a state with a rich cultural past documented in ancient books such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas, takes its present name from the Ahom dynasty, who controlled the region beginning in 1228 AD. Assam is the largest state by population and the second-largest by land among India's northeastern states.According to the 2011 census, Assam's population is 3.12 crore, or 2.58 percent of India's total population. The state capital is Dispur, and the current governor is Gulab Chand Kataria.
Assam's state emblems include the Bihu festival and dance, Foxtail Orchids (state flower), Dipterocarpus macrocarpus or Hollong (state tree), One-horned Rhinoceros (state animal), and White-winged Wood Duck or Deo haah (state bird).