The West Bengal state administration led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has officially renamed two prominent social welfare initiatives the Kanyashree and Sabujsathi schemes originally introduced under the previous Trinamool Congress tenure. Addressing media personnel during a press conference at the state secretariat, Nabanna, the Chief Minister announced the new titles while assuring citizens that scheme benefits and payouts will remain fully intact.

Key Scheme Name Changes

* Kanyashree Scheme Renamed to Kanya-Ratna
* Sabujsathi Scheme Renamed to Sarathi
* Kanyashree Divas (Aug 14) rightarrow To be observed as Kanya-Ratna Divas
* Benefits Status: Unchanged; free bicycle distribution and financial grants will continue without cuts.

Continuity of Benefits Assured

Addressing concerns over potential policy modifications, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari emphasized that no reductions or cutbacks will be made to the benefits extended to students. Under the Sarathi scheme, free bicycles will continue to be distributed as done previously. Similarly, financial stipends and one-time grants under Kanya-Ratna will proceed without alteration. An official government notification detailing the changes will be issued shortly.

This decision follows a series of administrative rebrandings undertaken by the current state government. Earlier, the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme was renamed Annapurna Yojana (alongside an increased budgetary allocation), while Yuba Sathi was updated to Yuba Shakti.

Background and Legacy

Launched in 2013 by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Kanyashree scheme earned international acclaim from global bodies, including the United Nations, for reducing school dropout rates and curbing child marriage. The initiative provides annual stipends to unmarried girls aged 13–18, followed by a lump-sum grant of ₹25,000 upon turning 18, along with higher education scholarships for post-graduate studies in arts and sciences.

Meanwhile, Sabujsathi aimed to facilitate easy transportation for school-going boys and girls across the state through free bicycle distribution.The current administration reaffirmed its policy stance that existing public welfare programs designed for citizen benefit will remain active and supported across the state.

West Bengal renames Kanyashree and Sabujsathi as Kanya-Ratna and Sarathi; benefits remain unchanged.

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