New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) yesterday gave its approval for implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme for 'Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education' with a total incurring expenditure of Rs.1500 crores during the 11th Five year Plan.

The scheme will cover all SC/ST girls who pass class VIII and girls, who pass class VIII from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalayas (irrespective of whether they belong to Scheduled Castes or Tribes) and enroll for class IX in State/UT Government, Government aided or local body schools in the academic year 2008-09 onwards.

A sum of Rs.3000 would be deposited under term deposit / fixed deposit in a public sector bank or in a post office in the name of every eligible girl child.

The term / period of the deposit will be counted from the date of deposit to the date on which the girl child attains the age of 18 years. No premature withdrawal will be allowed.

On attaining 18 years of age and production of 10th class pass certificate and a certificate from the Principal / Head of the school, that the girl beneficiary has continued her study for at least two years after enrolment in Class IX, the implementing agency will authorize the bank to transfer the matured amount in the interest bearing account to the savings' account in the name of the girl beneficiary.

"Girls studying in private unaided schools will be excluded since a majority of such schools charge high fees and therefore, parents of such girl students will not require the financial assistance that is being offered under this scheme", a CCEA official said.

Students enrolled in schools run by the Central Government and married girls have been excluded from the scheme.

To be eligible for the benefit under the scheme, the girl candidate should be unmarried and should be below 16 years of age on joining class IX.

1 percent of the total incentive amount each year will be spent on administration, monitoring and evaluation, the CCEA further added.

States/UT Governments, schools controlled and managed by State Governments, local bodies & aided private schools and Panchayati Raj Institutions will be the implementing partners of the scheme.

The Scheme will be rigorously evaluated after two years through appropriate independent agencies in order to further improve the same in future.

The implementation of the Scheme would help in promoting enrolment of girls belonging to the SC/ST communities in secondary schools and reduce the drop-out of SC/ST girls at secondary and higher secondary stages.

The Scheme would be made operative from 2008-09. PIB