The West Bengal government has officially implemented the central government's 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme in the state. Marking 'Kanyaratna' Day on August 14 at Dhano Dhanye Auditorium in Alipore, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that state welfare initiatives for girl students are now aligned with central benefits under a double-engine governance structure.
As part of the announcement, the state has renamed the previous 'Kanyashree' initiative to 'Kanyaratna'. Chief Minister Adhikari declared that the annual financial assistance for school-going girls will be doubled from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 starting from the 2027 academic year. For the current year, the state government has disbursed ₹400 crore directly into bank accounts to cover ₹1,000 each for over 20.13 lakh school students.
Additionally, a dedicated helpline number (181) has been launched for school students to address grievances and provide assistance. For higher education, female students will continue to receive a one-time financial assistance of ₹25,000 under the Vivekananda Merit Scholarship scheme to support their academic pursuits.