November 17, 2020.
TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic hit various financial and educational sectors. The virus affected one of the schemes initiated by the AAP government- the Laadli Scheme. The programme saw a vast decrease in the number of admissions this year. As per the stakeholders, this might affect the number of girl students enrolling and staying in school.
The Delhi government launched the Laadli scheme to provide support to the female students. The government grants financial aid for the girls beginning at their birth covering different stages of their education up till the senior secondary stage. To benefit from the initial level of the grant, parents should enrol their babies within one year of their birth. They then need to renew the registration at the schools at different levels of their educational course.
The enrollment started six months before the new 2020-21 cycle (April to September). The programme saw 1094 registrations during this period which is less when compared to the 2019-20 tenure (46,660). In 2017-18 the number of enrollments was 67,070 whereas in 2018-19 they were 60,803.
As per a functionary in the Department of Women and Child Development of Delhi government, the pandemic is the reason behind the decreased number of admissions. “In order to carry out the new registrations, parents are required to go to district offices. It is possible that because of the various restrictions, they were not able to carry it out this time. There is still time in this cycle, so we will try to make up for this lag,” informed the official.
Keeping in mind the new applicants, the government shifted the deadline for accepting the latest entries from Commission for protection of ChildSeptember 30 to December 31. “We are trying to spread awareness… we are also trying to make the process online,” assured director WCD Rashmi Singh.
The government also notified the schools to assist parents in registering the eligible candidates to avail benefits. “During 2020-2021 less than expected number of new registration as well as renewal cases has been received by the department of WCD, GNCTD. As a result, this will not only impact on the future allocation of funds due to poor utilisation in the current year but will also deprive many underprivileged girls of the much needed financial assistance under the above scheme,” the circular read.
According to Anurag Kundu, Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child’s Rights, conveyed that the child rights body did not see a decrease in enrollments for welfare programmes. Contrary to this, the registrations doubled at Anganwadi hubs in 2020.
The Laadli scheme offers financial assistance of Rs. 11000 to those born in a hospital while Rs. 10000 to those born at home. Moreover, it also grants Rs 5000 to the girls belonging any of the two categories in five instalments- Class I, VI, IX, XI and XII.
The scheme aims at improving the condition of women by educating them from a very early stage.
Source: Indian Express
