Context:

• The Sukh Shiksha Yojana, recently launched by the Himachal Pradesh government, aims to provide financial assistance to vulnerable families, particularly targeting widows, divorced women, and parents of children with disabilities.

Key Points:

• This initiative is a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities and overall welfare for children under 18 years of age from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Objectives of the Sukh Shiksha Yojana

The primary objectives of this scheme include:

• Financial support: Providing a monthly grant of ?1,000 to eligible families to cover educational, health, and nutritional expenses for children under 18 years old.
• Educational assistance: Offering additional financial support for tuition and hostel fees for students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, or vocational courses.
• Child protection: Addressing issues related to child exploitation, trafficking, child marriage, and substance abuse by reinforcing family-level child protection measures.

Target beneficiaries

The scheme specifically targets:

• Widows and Divorced Women: These groups often face significant challenges in supporting their families and ensuring their children's education.
• Parents of Children with Disabilities: The program acknowledges the unique difficulties faced by these families in accessing educational resources and support.

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for the Sukh Shiksha Yojana, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Income limit: Family income should not exceed ?1 lakh per annum.
• Age requirement: The scheme is applicable for children aged below 18 years.
• Application process: Interested beneficiaries can apply through their local Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) to access the benefits of this initiative.