New Delhi: The Central Government yesterday launched the 'Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education' scheme for girls belonging to the Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes.

Under the scheme, a sum of Rs.3000 will be deposited in the name of every SC/ST girl joining class IX in a Government / Government-aided / local body school.

The girls covered under the scheme would be entitled to withdraw the amount on attaining 18 years of age provided that they have successfully passed the Class 10 examination as a regular student.

The main objective of the scheme is to establish an enabling atmosphere to reduce the drop out and to promote the enrolment of girl child belonging to SC/ST communities in secondary schools and ensure their retention up to the age of 18 years.

The scheme covers all girls belonging to SC/ST communities and also those girls who pass class VIII from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (irrespective of whether they belong to SC/ST) and enroll for class IX in Government, Government-aided and local body schools in the academic year 2008-09.

The maximum age limit for the benefit is fixed at 16 completed years at the time of enrolment in class IX (on 31st March of the admission year).

In his Budget Speech for 2006-2007, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had announced to provide an incentive to the girl child, who passes the VIII standard examination and enrolls in a secondary school.

On the basis of the said announcement, the Central Government has launched this scheme for providing incentives to girls for pursuing secondary education.