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Nijut Moina Scheme: Ray of hope for Assam’s girls
In Assam, many school- and college-going girls still face problems like poverty, early marriage, and family pressure to leave studies. For parents struggling to manage household expenses, educating a daughter often becomes a burden. To change this, the state government started the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Scheme in 2023. This scheme gives financial help directly to the bank accounts of eligible girl students — Rs 1,000 per month for Class 11, Rs 1,250 for undergraduates, and Rs 2,500 for postgraduates or B.Ed. students in government or venture institutions. For many families, this small but steady amount has helped them to buy books and uniforms, pay fees, and give girls the confidence to continue their education instead of dropping out or marrying early. In many homes, it has tipped the balance in favour of education over early marriage. Reports from several districts even suggest a significant fall in child marriage cases, in some places as high as 80% within the first year of implementation. This shows how the right kind of support can protect and empower our daughters.
But the truth is, many deserving girls in remote villages are still missing out because they don’t know about the scheme or find it hard to apply. Poor internet, lack of digital skills, and confusion about the rules make it even tougher for them. If the government, local bodies, teachers, and NGOs work together to spread information and guide applicants, this scheme can reach its full potential. If implemented with sincerity and continuity, the Nijut Moina Scheme could change not just the lives of individual girls but also the social and economic future of Assam. It’s a step towards giving girls education, respect, and equal chances—and that’s something a society should never think twice about doing.
Sanjeeb Deka
Gauhati University
Integrity at stake
The allegations by the opposition on the Election Commission of India (ECI) are not new, and the latter has been able to outmanoeuvre those bashes and turn them into a zero-sum game every time. But the direction of the Supreme Court of India on Thursday (Aug 14) to the ECI to publish within three days the details of 65 lakh names deleted from Bihar's draft electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked a little speculation regarding the sincerity of the ECI in the matter of transparency. Such an announcement by SC, amid a pandemonium created by the allegations of colossal voter theft in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency (Karnataka) by the leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi, has alluded to the demand for an unerring elucidation from the ECI to the questions raised regarding its sanctity. The Election Commission of India is an exalted, autonomous constitutional authority and is required to uphold its integrity at every cost.
Kabir Ahmed Saikia
Rajabari, Jorhat
All within family?
We all understand that Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award conferred upon an Indian national for his/her significant contributions towards the national cause. But every sensible Indian is rather a bit surprised as well as shocked to see all in a family were awarded this highest civilian award in their lifetime without taking into account their merits, proficiencies or contributions towards the nation. The fact is that it has devalued Bharat Ratna. Some greats like Veer Sarvakar, Ambedkar, Gopinath Bordoloi, and Dr Bhupen Hazarika were denied this award, which they very rightly deserved, during their lifetime. They were awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously by the non-Congress government. Was it not within a family during the then government at the centre? Elements of doubt are there in the air about the educational qualifications of the three belonging to a particular family. It happens only in India.
Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,
Guwahati.
Demise of Dr Vece Paes
Despite passage to another world forming the eternal law of nature, still the demise of Dr Vece Paes --- the legendary Olympian (member of the 1972 Munich Games bronze medal-winning Hockey team) and a doctor with vision and compassion (a pioneer in the field of sports medicine in India) --- makes the day much sadder. The multi-talented Dr Paes – who also played football, cricket and rugby at the divisional level – was a unique combination of a towering personality with impeccable humility, warmth and a divine smile.
Kajal Chatterjee
(kajal.chatterjee21@gmail.com)