GUWAHATI: The Assam government has introduced the "Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina" (MMNM) initiative, aiming to empower one million girls with financial grants to support their education up to higher secondary, graduation, and post-graduation levels, as of an announcement made during the presentation of Assam Budget 2024-25 on February 12.
The initiative is a step towards the government's broader mission to eliminate child marriages by empowering girls to make informed decisions about their lives.
The scheme focuses on encouraging girls to pursue education beyond Matriculation, thereby contributing to a significant increase in the percentage of girls continuing their studies. To be eligible for this benefit, girls must be enrolled in any government college or educational institution, and those already married are excluded from availing of the benefits.
The MMNM initiative offers a tiered incentive structure:
- An admission incentive of ₹10,000 for each girl student joining Class Eleven.
- ₹12,500 for girls enrolling in the first year of graduation.
-₹15,000 for those entering the first year of a post-graduation course.
These financial incentives are in addition to existing benefits such as free admission and the provision of scooters, as applicable.
The initiative is expected to provide a significant boost to girls' education, fostering a positive environment for academic growth.
Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog also announced a budget allocation of ₹240 crore for the MMNM scheme during the budget presentation on Monday.
