Gandhinagar : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always emphasised women’s literacy and girls’ education. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, he introduced transformative initiatives like the Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra to make primary education more accessible for girls across the state. This effort has led to a substantial rise in girls receiving primary education in Gujarat.
To address financial barriers and prevent girls from dropping out after primary education, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel introduced Namo Lakshmi Yojana this year, aimed at encouraging girls to complete their schooling. The scheme has been allocated a budget of ₹1,250 crore for the current fiscal year. Under this initiative, girl students from standards 9 to 12 receive a total financial assistance of ₹50,000 over four years. Since its launch, the scheme has benefitted around 10 lakh girl students, with over ₹138.54 crore in financial aid disbursed to date.
Eligibility Criteria for Beneficiaries of the Namo Lakshmi Yojana
To promote secondary and higher secondary education among girls in the state, the Education Department of the State Government has launched Namo Lakshmi Yojana. This initiative provides financial assistance to female students enrolled in schools recognized by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The following eligibility criteria must be met to benefit from this scheme:
– The student must have completed Std. 8 in a government or government-aided primary school within the state and secured admission to Std. 9
– The student must have completed Std. 1 to 8 under the RTE Act in a recognized private primary school within the state and gained admission to Std. 9
– Students not covered under the above categories who have completed Std. 8 and secured admission to Std. 9, provided their family’s annual income does not exceed ₹6 lakh
Financial Support Offered Through the Namo Lakshmi Yojana
Under Namo Lakshmi Yojana, eligible female students completing Std. 9 to 12 are entitled to receive financial assistance of up to ₹50,000, structured as follows:
– 9 and 10: Total Assistance of ₹20,000
Monthly Support: ₹5,000 annually, disbursed as ₹500 per month for 10 months in each academic year, totalling ₹10,000 over two years.
Performance Incentive: An additional ₹10,000 is awarded upon successfully passing the Std. 10 board examination
– 11 and 12: Total Assistance of ₹30,000
Monthly Support: ₹7,500 annually, disbursed as ₹750 per month for 10 months in each academic year, totalling ₹15,000 over two years.
Performance Incentive: An additional ₹15,000 is awarded upon successfully passing the Std. 12 board examination
Efficient Management of the Scheme through the Namo Lakshmi Portal
To ensure the efficient implementation of the Namo Lakshmi Yojana across schools statewide, a dedicated Namo Lakshmi Portal has been introduced. Registration for all female students in Std. 9 to 12 is conducted through the Child Tracking System (CTS), with the data seamlessly transferred to the portal. Class teachers access the portal to view their respective class data and input essential details, such as the student’s Aadhaar card, school ID, mark sheets, income certificate, bank passbook copy, birth certificate, and contact information. These documents are collected from parents or guardians.
Eligibility verification begins promptly with the new academic session. Financial assistance for June and July is credited together to the student’s mother’s or the student’s bank account by July, with subsequent monthly assistance deposited by the 10th of each month. Notably, students receiving scholarships from other government schemes are also eligible for additional benefits under this initiative. The scheme extends beyond financial aid, addressing the health and nutritional needs of female students to ensure holistic development. By integrating support for education, health, and nutrition, Namo Lakshmi Yojana aims to empower girls, enabling them to become self-reliant and resilient contributors to society.
