Agartala, Oct 29: In a major step toward promoting gender equity and curbing child marriage, the Tripura Cabinet led by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has approved the ‘Mukhyamantri Balika Samriddhi Yojana’, a new welfare initiative aimed at securing the future of girl children born into Antyodaya families.
Announcing the decision at a press briefing on Tuesday, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said the scheme embodies the government’s vision to empower girls through education and financial support. Under the initiative, families with up to two daughters in Antyodaya households will receive a fixed deposit of ₹50,000 per child at birth. The amount will be accessible only after the girl turns 18, to support her higher education, marriage, or essential life needs.
Eligibility conditions include the mother being at least 18 years and 9 months old at childbirth, with delivery in a government hospital. The scheme’s goal, Chowdhury said, is to discourage child marriage and ensure long-term financial security for girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
The Cabinet also approved recruitment of 108 engineers under the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) across electrical, mechanical, and civil streams in both Grade A and Grade B categories. Recruitment will be conducted through TSECL’s independent examination process.
Another key decision was the rollout of a Minority Development Scheme, offering ₹10,000 in two installments to 1,500 beneficiaries for small ventures such as poultry and duckery.
To promote women’s economic independence, the Cabinet sanctioned the Tripura Women Entrepreneurship Policy, enabling women to avail loans up to ₹1 crore at 5% lower interest than male applicants.
Additionally, the government approved the establishment of a new women’s college at Nalchar, expanding higher education opportunities for girls in rural areas.
