A Study on Kanyashree Prakalpa at Community Block Level in West Bengal

Empowerment of women is a continuous process with many dimensions. One of the conditions of human development is equality of men and women and empowerment of women. The overall development of any country is impossible without the empowerment of women. There is a long history of discrimination and deprivation against women in different countries of the world. The contribution of women in the socio-economic development of every country is important. They play an important role in the family. Despite the significant presence of women in various sectors such as agriculture, industry, services, etc., most women in developing countries are among the poorest of the poor. Empowered women would be the plausible solution to all these inequalities and questions. If we can make women economically self-sufficient, it will be possible to eliminate this inequality between men and women. In this study, we have tried to analyze the perception about ‘Kanyashree Prakalpa’ and its effect towards women empowerment, if any. For this study, a particular block named Chakdaha Community Block in Nadia district of West Bengal has been selected for rigorous quality assessment. During the assessment, a structured schedule consisting of 34 different questions was placed in front of the 100 female respondents who received a scholarship of Rs. 25,000/- (Twenty five thousand) from Kanyashree Prakalpa after attaining age of 18 years. After data collection, they have been statistically analyzed with the help of SPSS software. The study shows that the concept of women’s empowerment depends largely on higher education, self-determination, economic and social development, and ultimately employment. Such studies will be able to comprehend the significance and authenticity of women empowerment, existing in the society.