Conditional Cash Transfer and Sustainable Education for Girls’ through Kanyashree Prakalpa: A study in Border Regions of North Bengal’

Abstract

Present study investigates the significance of conditional cash transfer schemes in ensuring sustainable education among adolescent girls in the border regions of North Bengal, with particular focus on Kanyashree Prakalpa implemented by govt. of West Bengal. The borderland districts of North Bengal are frequently marked by economic hardship, educational inequality, gender-based discrimination, early marriage practices, migration-related vulnerabilities, and inadequate institutional support systems. Within this socio-economic backdrop, maintaining continuity in girls’ education has emerged as a critical concern. Present research emphasizes on understanding how financial assistance linked with educational participation, has influenced school retention, learning engagement, and the broader empowerment of girls in these marginalised regions. A mixed-method research design has been employed by combining quantitative educational data with qualitative responses collected from beneficiaries, parents, teachers, and other educational stakeholders. The study evaluates the effectiveness of conditional cash transfers in reducing school dropout rates, discouraging early marriage, promoting educational aspirations, and strengthening the decision-making abilities of adolescent girls. The findings reveal that conditional cash transfer initiatives have played a significant role in improving girls’ enrolment and participation in education across the border districts of North Bengal. The scheme has generated educational motivation and a degree of financial assurance among socio-economically backward families. Nevertheless, the long-term sustainability of girls’ education depends not only on financial incentives but also on wider social awareness, access to quality education, and institutional strengthening. The study concludes that conditional cash transfer programmes should be viewed not merely as welfare-oriented schemes, but as important instruments for promoting gender-sensitive development and enhancing human capabilities in borderland regions.