'Ladli Lakshmi' Scheme in MP

Bhopal, Feb 22 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government today approved the 'Ladli Lakshmi' Scheme for empowering girls born after January 1, 2006, sources said.

The scheme will be implemented from April 1, 2007.

A cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, took a decision to purchase national savings certificates in the girls' names and provide them Rs 1 lakh at the age of 21 years.

The scheme, which would require Rs 24 crore in 2007-08, aimed at reducing the spurt in population, preventing child marriage, improving girls' education, health, positively altering the gender balance and encouraging family planning.

The offspring of those couples domiciled in this state and having a maximum of two children would benefit from the scheme. The couples would have to compulsorily adopt family planning prior to registration. The beneficiary child would have to be compulsorily registered at an anganwadi centre. Girls staying in orphanges would also be entitled to the benefits.

UNI