Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Bengal to implement Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: CM Suvendu Adhikari
The leader of West Bengal, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, announced a big plan to help girls in the state.
He said the central government's special program called 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao,' which means 'save the daughter, educate the daughter,' will now be used in West Bengal.
That program was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 to make sure girls are valued, educated, and safe.
The chief minister said the old state government, the Trinamool Congress, used its own program called Kanyashree but did not use the central one.
Now the yearly scholarship for school girls will go up from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.
Girls turning 18 who are unmarried will still get a big one-time payment of Rs 25,000.
Every girl will also get Rs 50,000 for higher education under a plan called Kanyaratna.
There is also a new scheme named after Swami Vivekananda to help students who want to study in other countries.
The government also opened a phone help line, number 181, and a day-care program called PALNA for children of working mothers.
The chief minister said he wants every girl to get an education and be safe.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Friday that the central 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme will now be implemented in the state.
Adhikari said the previous Trinamool Congress government ran its own Kanyashree programme but did not implement the central scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
The annual scholarship for school girls has been doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 from the next academic session, while the Rs 25,000 one-time grant for unmarried women turning 18 remains intact.
On the day, 9.48 lakh girls received Rs 1,000 each and 1.29 lakh girls received Rs 25,000 each in their bank accounts, for total disbursement of Rs 418 crore; the Kanyaratna scheme will give Rs 50,000 to each of 20,13,000 girls for higher education.
The government also unveiled a Rs 100 crore Swami Vivekananda study-abroad scheme, more state-run women's colleges, a new 181 women's helpline, and the 'PALNA' creche initiative for children of working women.
- Who
- West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who made the announcement at the Kanyartna Divas event and praised IAS officer Smita Pandey, the KMC administrator.
- What
- Implementation of the central Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme in West Bengal, alongside doubled school scholarships, the Kanyaratna and Swami Vivekananda study-abroad schemes, a new 181 helpline and the PALNA creche initiative.
- When
- Friday, August 14, at the launch of 'Kanyartna Divas', previously observed as 'Kanyashree Divas' under the TMC government.
- Where
- Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
- Why
- To empower and educate girls, prevent student dropouts, boost women's workforce participation, and arrest the decline in the child sex ratio.
Current BJP-led state government
Previous TMC government
Implementation of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Current BJP-led state government
Adhikari says the central BBBP scheme will now be implemented in West Bengal, unlike in the past when the previous government did not do it.
Previous TMC government
The previous TMC government ran the Kanyashree programme for empowerment of girls in the state but did not implement the central BBBP project.
Rebranding of the observance day
Current BJP-led state government
The current government launched 'Kanyartna Divas,' doubled the annual scholarship, and kept the Rs 25,000 grant intact.
Previous TMC government
Under the TMC government, August 14 was observed as 'Kanyashree Divas' to mark the success of the Kanyashree financial assistance scheme.
- Scheme announced
- Implementation of central 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' in West Bengal
- Observance day
- Kanyartna Divas launched on August 14; previously observed as Kanyashree Divas under TMC
- Annual school scholarship
- Doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 from the next academic session
- One-time grant at 18
- Rs 25,000 for unmarried women turning 18 (kept intact)
- Disbursement on the day
- Rs 418 crore paid directly to bank accounts of 9.48 lakh girls (Rs 1,000 each) and 1.29 lakh girls (Rs 25,000 each)
- Kanyaratna scheme
- Rs 50,000 higher-education grant per girl; 20,13,000 girls covered; Rs 400 crore allotted
- Study-abroad scheme
- Swami Vivekananda scheme with Rs 100 crore for boys and girls
- New initiatives
- Women's helpline 181 and 'PALNA' creche scheme for children of working women, delivered through Anganwadi-cum-Creches
