Special Financial Incentive Schemes for The Girl Child in India: A Review of Select Schemes

Abstract

Introduction of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) mechanism is a marked departure from the traditional approaches in social programming. Through provision of financial incentives to poor families following the fulfillment of certain verifiable conditions, CCTs seek to provide short-term income support and at the same time promote long -term behavioural change. CCTs therefore have the potential to become an effective means of channelizing resources to the poor and socially disadvantaged sections; more specifically, girls and women. With persisting gender inequalities in India, the girl child is at a disadvantage and faces discrimination at every stage of her life - sex selection, infanticide, little or no access to education, lack of health care and nutrition and child marriage. The conditionality linked cash transfer attempts to correct such discriminations.