Trinamool govt wants to make Hindus second-class citizens in Bengal: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal government wants to make the Hindus second-class citizens in the state.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cleared the inclusion of 10.5 lakh new names of girls studying in schools, colleges and universities from across Bengal as Kanyashree beneficiaries, which came into effect just ahead of the country’s 75th Republic Day.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during her administrative review meeting in Burdwan this week, had said: “Kanyashree is now not only the pride of Bengal, the entire world takes pride of the scheme.” Besides, 84.67 thousand new Rupashree beneficiaries have been included, taking the total number of beneficiaries under the scheme to 17.04 lakh today. Rupashree is a scheme aimed to provide financial assistance to the economically stressed families to help them meet the expenses of their daughter’s marriage.
The state provides Rs 25,000 to the family to fund wedding function. The Kanyashree scheme got 2.78 crore applications till 25 January evening, of which 2.76 crore have been sanctioned. The scheme seeks to improve the status of girls in schools, colleges and universities intending to delay their marriage at least till the age of 18 years of age. Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Indian families are not allowed to marry off their daughters below the age of 18 years, incidentally.
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This is the flagship scheme of the Bengal government floated by Miss Mamata Banerjee that has earned international recognition by the United Nations Department of International Development and UNICEF in 2017. The scheme was floated by the state on 14 August, 2013. The Bengal government has added 1.04 lakh new beneficiaries for its widow pension scheme and additional 9 lakh for old age pension from across the state, senior district administration officials said on Thursday morning.
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