Punished For Not Paying Bribe To Panchayat Official, 19-Year-Old Bengal Girl Denied Welfare Scheme

Kolkata: In a shocking incident, a class XI student was denied the benefits of West Bengal government's scheme Kanyashree as she reportedly refused to pay cut money in Malda district. Her form was canceled after a state government official stated that she was married according to government records. In a bid to rectify the error, the girl went to Panchayat and Block offices for almost one and a half years to no avail.

The matter came to light after she eventually filed a written complaint with Block Development Office (BDO). Copies of the complaint have also been sent to the Ratua Police Station, District Magistrate and the Sub Divisional Magistrate. After receiving the complaint, the BDO has also come under investigation, according to our sources

The girl, identified as Sultana Parveen, is a student in madrasa in Malda district's Ratua village. After she crossed 18 one and half years back, the girl's family had applied for Kanyashree, a scheme aimed at improving the status of adolescent girls from impoverished families via small cash transfers. Mamata Banerjee's scheme had won praises across the world and also received the UN award in 2017.

After her form was sent to the Panchayat office, an official had allegedly asked money from Sultana's family for forwarding her request to the Block Development Office. According to the complaint, her application was cancelled after her family refused to pay money.

According to local reports, when the madrasa authorities reached out to the local BDO office, the officials have launched a probe against the Panchayat official. The BDO has said that appropriate action would be taken against the Panchayat official if the complaint turns out to be true.