CM wants to include Kanyashree in school syllabus

TNN,Aug 15, 2015, KOLKATA: Upbeat with the Kanyashree Project that UNICEF has decided to co-partner with the West Bengal government, chief minister Mamata Banerjee now wants Kanyashree to be included in the education syllabus.

"We will prepare a Kanyashree syllabus for schools within a year," the CM said while announcing the decision at a programme held in the city on Friday. 

"A total 22 lakh girls have registered themselves in the Kanyashree family an the government plans to take it to 40 lakh in the next two years. UNICEF country head, India has taken special initiative to showcase the sche as a model. I want the Kanyshree group to merge worldwide," the CM said. 

This is not all. The government plans to give these Kanyashree girls a certificate that will come of use when they pursue higher education, technical education and even jobs. "Kanyashree was launched two years ago in 2013. This is the second year. Every year we have to go on adding to the scheme. For now, the government will be issuing certificates to each of the beneficiaries. The certificate will help them in higher studies, technical education and also in getting jobs. Today the Kanyachree girl is tomorrow's Bhagyashree," the CM said. 

Mamata then went back to the past when she had come across a school girl at Belpahari in West Midnapore. "Once I met a school girl on my way to Belpahari. She told me didi why can't the government give us a bicyle. A bicycle comes of great use to students of Class VIII, IX and X in the villages. It struck me. I didn't have her address. If I had I would have bought the cycle and sent ti to her. I hope the girl is watching the programme today," the CM said, adding this was the idea behind lauching Kanyashree. 

Enthused with the success of the programme the CM wants to draw up a scheme for all school students — male and female — irrespective of their caste and religion. "Our target is to distribute bicycles to 40 lakh students. This is apart from the existing schemes under the backward classes department and minorities welfare department. We want to include all students of Class VIII, IX and X. They include boys and girls, and also those who don't come under scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities," the CM said.