4.37 lakh girl students enrol for two financial aid schemes in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Nearly 4.37 lakh girls have registered to avail benefits under two schemes launched by the Gujarat government in March to provide financial assistance to eligible female students from Classes 9 to 12, officials said.

While 4.03 lakh girl students have registered for the 'Namo Lakshmi Yojana', nearly 37,000 have enrolled for the 'Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana' as part of the 'Shala Praveshotsav - Kanya Kelavni Mahotsav 2024', an annual drive to enlist students in Class 1 in Gujarat, an official release said on Tuesday.

Under the 'Namo Lakshmi Yojana', the government will provide Rs 50,000 over a period of four years to girls wanting to take admission in Classes 9 to 12 for the academic year 2024-25. This scheme is applicable to girls whose family income is less than Rs 6 lakh per annum, said the release.

The beneficiary students, after securing admission in Class 9, will receive Rs 500 per month for 10 months each year, and the remaining Rs 10,000 will be disbursed after they pass the Class 10 board exam, it said.

Students in Classes 11 and 12 will receive Rs 750 per month for 10 months each year, and Rs 15,000 will be given after they clear the Class 12 board exam, the release said.

The scheme will cover girls studying in government, aided and private schools.

The 'Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana' aims to encourage students to opt for the science stream and excel in it, said the release.

Students in Classes 11 and 12 who have opted for science will receive Rs 1,000 per month for 10 months, totalling Rs 20,000 over two years, and the remaining Rs 5,000 will be disbursed after they pass the Class 12 board exam.

The aid amount under both the schemes for June and July months will be credited to the bank account of the student's mother or the pupil's own account through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), said the release.