In a significant push to eradicate child labour and promote education, authorities in Kanpur have successfully enrolled 100 children under the transformative Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana. This government scheme provides direct financial support to ensure children from vulnerable backgrounds can attend school regularly instead of working.
Financial Support and Educational Incentives
The scheme offers structured monetary assistance directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts. Boys receive Rs 1,000 per month, while girls are provided Rs 1,200 per month, acknowledging the additional barriers girls often face. To encourage consistency and academic achievement, the program includes a substantial incentive: a lump sum of Rs 6,000 is awarded upon successfully passing the class 8, class 9, or high school examinations.
Between April and December, a total of Rs 5,49,400 has been disbursed to 72 of the selected children, with payments for the remaining beneficiaries currently in process. The group of 100 children comprises 33 girls and 39 boys, with the balance being prepared for formal enrolment. Academically, the children are spread across key grades: 9 are in class 8, 14 in class 9, and 13 in class 10.
Transforming Lives: From Labour to Learning
The scheme specifically targets children who were forced into child labour due to extreme family circumstances, such as the death or disability of parents or a complete lack of a stable family income. For these children, the program is a lifeline, pulling them from the margins and integrating them into mainstream education.
The impact is best told through the beneficiaries' own words. Rahul, now a class 9 student, shared his transformation, stating that he previously had to work as a labourer. "Now, I am able to go to school regularly," he said. Similarly, Pooja, a class 8 student, explained how the financial assistance has eased her educational journey. "The support has made my studies easier, and I now want to study further," she expressed with renewed hope.
Rigorous Verification and Government Commitment
To ensure the scheme's benefits reach only the genuinely needy, the selection process is meticulous. The Labour Department conducted thorough on-the-spot verification and inspections before finalizing the list of eligible children.
Elaborating on the government's vision, Assistant Labour Commissioner Ram Lakhan Patel emphasized the clear intention behind the initiative. "The government's clear intention is to ensure that no child is engaged in child labour and that every child is educated. Eligible children are selected after inspection for this purpose," he stated. This rigorous approach underscores the commitment to sustainable change, aiming not just to provide temporary relief but to permanently alter the trajectory of these young lives by keeping them in the classroom.
