Mumbai: BMC's attendance allowance scheme for girls falls flat

Each girl can get upto Rs 2,500 plus interest. Representational pic

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has touted that the girl child deserves attention and promoted ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' as one of his signature campaigns, another such incentive scheme seems to be falling to the wayside.

A delay in bank finalisation has led to no attendance allowance certificates being issued to the girls passing out in 2015-2016. Under the scheme, any girl who passes Std VII from a civic school is entitled to an attendance allowance.

Unaware parents
Ashwini Chavan, a Borivli resident who works as a domestic help, said, "I know there is some scheme, but I have no clue how the money is claimed. Whenever I enquired in school, they told me that a certificate for the money would be given after my daughter passed Std VII, but now she is in Std VIII and I still haven't received anything."

Another parent, Mansoor Shaikh, said, "I was not even aware about the scheme until my daughter passed Std VII and other parents started questioning the school about the scheme. We were just directed to different offices of the BMC education department to get answers."

BMC explains
BMC education officer, Mahesh Palkar accepted the delay and went on to explain, "The bank which had earlier taken on the task, backed out. We had to issue another tender to finalise a new bank, but as the amount to be kept under each girl's name is paltry, there were hardly any takers. Now, a bank has been finalised, and in next 15 days, we will issue the certificates for last year's graduates and will hopefully not have trouble with the ones passing out next year too."

Activist speak
Amol Matele, NCP youth president who is helping the parents, however, said, "It is easy for civic authorities to say the delay is due to technical difficulties, but with half a year's interest already lost, this delay may cost girls their rights as they or their parents are not aware how to fight for it."