In a significant push to support adolescent girls from underprivileged backgrounds, the Jharkhand government’s Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana (SPKSY) is helping them pursue education and avoid early marriage, officials said. Launched by the Hemant Soren government, the SPKSY has been pivotal in curbing school dropouts, discouraging child marriage, and encouraging higher education for girls, according to state officials.
For families like Laxman Hajam’s, the SPKSY scheme has been life-changing. His daughter, currently in Class 10, dreams of becoming a doctor. “Thanks to the financial assistance, she can continue her studies without worrying about the cost,” Hajam said.
The SPKSY provides a total scholarship of ₹40,000 to adolescent girls, disbursed in six installments. Girls in classes 8 to 12 receive ₹20,000 across five installments, with an additional one-time payment of ₹20,000 when they turn 18 or 19.
Government data shows that around 715,000 girls have enrolled in the scheme for the 2023-24 academic year, with benefits expected to reach 900,000 girls. Speaking at the outreach initiative ‘Apki Yojna, Apki Sarkar, Apke Dwar’ (Your Scheme, Your Government at Your Doorstep), Chief Minister Hemant Soren emphasized that families no longer need to worry about educating their daughters. The scheme, originally restricted to two girls per family, has now been extended to all girls.
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Parents like Dhaneshwari Devi from Ranchi’s Kanke block find the financial support crucial for their daughters’ education. Meanwhile, a Class 11 student from Dhanbad, who hails from a minority community, shared how SPKSY allowed her to avoid an early marriage. “My family had arranged my marriage, but I wanted to continue studying. The scheme is helping me chase my dreams,” she said.
