'Lek Soniyachi', named after UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, aimed at covering 2.72 lakh girls born every year in BPL families, will cost the state exchequer Rs 576 crore of which Rs 273 crore will be spent for the welfare of SCs and STs.
Under the scheme, an amount of Rs 21,200 will be deposited in the name of each girl child belonging to BPL family with insurance company. After the girl attains age of 18, the amount of Rs one lakh will be paid to her.
The girl's birth has to be registered within a year with gram panchayat or municipal council or municipal corporation.
As against Rs 21,200, the earning parent of the girl child will be insured while the girl will get Rs 200 as monthly scholarship from VIII-XIIth standard.
If the earning parent dies a natural death, the girl will get Rs 30,000, while in case of accidental death and permanent handicap, the beneficiary will be entitled to Rs 75,000, and Rs 37, 500 in case of partial handicap in mishap.
Earlier, the Women and Child Welfare Department wanted the scheme called 'Sukanya' to cover BPL families of all categories. However, Planning Department has given a go-ahead for implementing the scheme only for BPL families of SCs and STs.
According to Finance Department, the scheme does not explain how it will help in checking female foeticide and bring down the female infant mortality rate.
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