By IANS,
Agartala : The Left Front government in Tripura Wednesday announced a special economic package for poor girl children to continue their education and maintain minimum nourishment.
“Under the scheme, the state government would provide Rs.300 to the mother of two girl children every month for their care and education,” said Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.
“The scheme, which is effective from June 1, would be valid for a girl child of a family below the poverty line (BPL) till she attains 16 years of age,” Sarkar told reporters.
According to the chief minister, the male-female ratio in Tripura has been showing a downward trend and this forced the state government to take a slew of initiatives under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
“The scheme would help in maintaining gender balance in the state,” Sarkar said.
“While gender equality is being upheld, female infants were still found on many occasions dumped in trash,” he pointed out.
The sex ratio in Tripura is 948 females per thousand males.
Sarkar also announced an increase in the monthly allowance for aged rickshaw pullers, tannery and bidi workers, widows, women deserted by their husbands and the disabled.