Will Pay For Higher Education Of Girls: Shivraj Chouhan's Big Announcement

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh will pay the fees of girl students getting admission for higher education, including IITs, IIMs, medical and law colleges and other institutions. Mr Chouhan made the announcement today as his government completed 16 years of Ladli Laxmi Yojana -- its flagship's scheme for the girl child.

"We have decided that under the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, fees for engineering, law, IIT and medical colleges will not be paid by parents, but by Shivraj 'mama'," the Chief Minister said.

"More than 44.85 lakh lakhpati ladlis are now like a family," the Chief Minister said. "The thinking towards daughters has changed. Girls are showing their talent in all fields... this is a big achievement for the state," he added.

The Ladli Laxmi Yojana was started 16 years ago with the aim that "there should be no second-rate treatment towards daughters, sons and daughters should be considered equal," he added.

The scheme provides monetary benefits to eligible girls to ensure they get a good education and change the perspective of society. So far, Rs 366.21 crore has been given under the scheme.

For Rupali, a 17-year-old resident of Bhopal, the Ladli Laxmi Yojana is a godsend. The girl, who will take her Plus-Two board exams, wants to become an IAS officer. Her younger sister, who is in Class 8, wants to join the police force.

Their father drives an auto rickshaw, and mother chips into the family income by sewing clothes. Both are proud of their meritorious daughters and say they do not worry about supporting their studies any more.

When Khushboo was 4 years old, her parents died. The girl, who grew up in her maternal grandmother's house, is preparing for IITs. "This scheme is of huge help," she said.

The government claims the birth rate of girls has increased from 911 to 956, pushing sex ratio up. From 948 girls to 1000 boys in 2011 it has gone up to 970 per 1000 boys last year, figures from economic survey showed.

Dropout rate at primary schools has reduced from 19.26 per cent in 2007 to 6.63 per cent last year. In the same period, dropout rate at secondary level has reduced from 18.41 per cent to 1.26 per cent. Literacy rate increased from 44 per cent to 65 per cent.

With elections due at the end of the year, these schemes can be a gamechanger. Of the 5.40 crore voters in Madhya Pradesh, around 48 per cent or more than 2.60 crore are women. In at least 18 assembly segments (mostly tribal dominated seats) women voters outnumber men voters.

The ruling BJP is banking on the success of the existing girls and women-oriented schemes, like Ladli Laxmi Yojana, CM Kanya Vivah Yojana and on the new Rs 1000 monthly support to financially weak women, the Ladli Behna Yojana, under which so far 1.25 crore-plus applications have been received.

The Congress has made two key promises, Rs 1,500 monthly support to financially weak women and cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 each.