Balika Samridhi Yojana

Balika Samridhi Yojana was started with a view to ensure that every girl child of the country has a chance of making a better future for herself. The objectives of the scheme are mentioned below:

• To work towards changing the attitude at the birth of a girl child as well as towards the mother of that child.
• To improve the enrollment and retention of the girl child in primary and secondary schools
• Raising girls till the legal age of marriage
• Providing assistance to girls in undertaking income generating activities

Eligibility for Balika Samridhi Yojana

Balika Samridhi Yojana is available to all girl children who are born in families belonging to economically backward sections of the society, as well as Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

Following are the details of the eligibility for Balika Samridhi Yojana.

• The scheme is primarily for aiding the girls of the weaker sections as mentioned above.
• The applicant has to be someone not from a financially challenged background.
• The applicant is eligible only for up to two girls from any such family as mentioned above.
• The girl child is eligible only if she is born after 15th August 1997.
• The parents of eligible girl children cannot have an annual income higher than Rs. 2,00,000.
• Another important criterion is that applicants cannot be the beneficiary of any other welfare scheme of the Government on similar lines.

Documents Required for Balika Samridhi Yojana

After determining the eligibility, applicants need to provide the following documents to complete their application and get the benefits of the scheme.

Identity Proof

Applicants have to provide identity proof for themselves as well as of the parents or the legal guardians of the applicant. Any of the following documents can be provided as identity proof for this purpose.

• PAN Card
• Aadhaar Card
• Driving License
• Voter ID Card 

Address Proof

Another requirement is the address proof of the applicant and the parents or legal guardians. Any of the following documents can be used as address proof for this scheme.

• Passport
• Aadhaar Card
• Electricity Bill or Telephone Bill
• Voter ID Card
• Ration Card
• Driving License

Birth Certificate of the Girl Child

Recent Passport Size Photographs of the applicant

Income Certificate

School Admission Certificate

Final Examination Mark sheet

Bank Pass Book of Parents (or Guardians as the case may be)

Below Poverty line Certificate for ascertaining the financial status of the family

Resident Certificate

Any other documents as may be required at the time of submitting the application for this scheme.

Financial Assistance Provided under Balika Samridhi Yojana

The scheme as mentioned above aims to provide financial assistance for the benefit of the girl child right from the time of her birth till the time such girl child completes her higher secondary education. Financial assistance is provided in two parts. The details of the same are mentioned below.

• The first installment of the financial assistance is provided at the time of birth of the eligible girl child. Mother of such a girl child is provided a one-time financial assistance of Rs. 500.
• The second installment of the financial assistance starts at the time of formal education for the eligible girl child. The amount of financial assistance at each stage of education is tabled below.

How to avail the benefits under the scheme?

The benefits of the scheme can be obtained by submitting the duly filled application form to the competent authority. The procedure for getting the benefits of this scheme is mentioned below.

• The first step for getting the benefits of this scheme is to apply for the scheme by addressing the Gram Panchayats or Municipalities of the location in which such family of the girl child resides.
• Next step is to get the application form from the office of such authorities.
• The application form can also be available through the Anganwadi Workers or the Health Functionaries in the rural, semi-urban or urban areas.
• Alternatively, the scheme form can also be downloaded from the website of Child Protection and Child Rights.
• The form of the scheme is different in case of rural applicants and urban applicants.
• Hence, it is necessary to download the correct form.
• After duly filling the required application form, the applicant has to be sure to attach the necessary supporting documents as required under the scheme while submitting the application form.
• When the applicant submits the application, they will receive an acknowledgement for the same and a reference number which can be used to track the application.
• The application form has to be then verified by the concerned officer.
• At this stage, if the application is not complete or does not fulfill the requirements or the criteria set for eligibility to avail the benefits under the scheme, such application is rejected or returned right away.
• After being moved further for approval, the concerning Tehsil Officer will have to certify the application along with the necessary documents and forward it to the District Welfare Officer for further approval.
• Once all the competent authorities have approved the application along with the relevant documents, the applicant shall receive the benefits of the scheme.

Keeping with the digital movement of the country and the attempt to provide banking services to all the citizens of the country, the government may credit the benefits under the scheme directly to the Jan Dhan Account or any other bank account of the beneficiary or the parent or the guardian of such beneficiary.

Terms and Conditions of the Balika Samridhi Yojana

There are many terms and conditions with respect to every aspect of the scheme. These terms and conditions can be for the disbursal of the benefits i.e. the financial assistance or the use of the funds provided under the scheme or the situations where the benefits under the scheme can be withdrawn.

• The first condition is with respect to the credit of the financial assistance to be provided to the beneficiary. The amount of the financial assistance has to be credited directly to the beneficiary girl child’s bank account.
• This account has to be an interest bearing account. The aim of this scheme is to maximize the returns for the beneficiary and hence the Public Provident Fund or the National Saving Certificate is preferred.
• The scheme allows the beneficiary to utilize part of the financial assistance received towards the payment of premium for insurance policy taken under the Bhagyashri Balika Kalyan Bima Yojana. Such insurance policy has to be taken in the name of the beneficiary girl child.
• Another medium of allocation or utilization of the benefits under the scheme is towards the purchase of uniforms or textbooks for the beneficiary.
• There is also a provision for withdrawal of funds from the account. The beneficiary girl child can withdraw the standing amount in the account upon reaching the age of 18 years. Such withdrawal is allowed only if such girl child is unmarried and a certificate in this regard has been issued by the Municipal or Gram Panchayat.
• If the beneficiary girl child is married before the age of 18 years, she will be entitled to benefit of the initial financial assistance of Rs. 500 only along with interest accrued on such amount. The second installment of the financial assistance to be received during the course of education will have to be foregone along with the interest accrued thereon.
• Also a certificate ascertaining the completion of education of such beneficiary girl child is required for withdrawal of the standing amount in the account. If the beneficiary girl child has not completed her education, the amount of financial assistance will be restricted to the first installment of the assistance received at the time of birth of such girl child.
• If before attaining the age of 18 years, the beneficiary girl child survives no more i.e. is dead, the entire amount accumulated over the years in the account shall be withdrawn.

FAQs – Balika Samridhi Yojana