With increasing cases of crimes against women, the West Bengal government has planned to launch a self-defense workshop in undergraduate colleges in Bengal. The project will be a part of the chief minister’s pet girl child welfare project Kanyashree. Every year, a three-week workshop on self-defense techniques will be conducted in these colleges. The programme will be open for participation by the women teachers too, reported the Hindustan Times.
A notice to initiate the self-defense classes have been sent to all government-run and government-aided colleges by the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI), under the state higher education department. “The chief minister has recently announced the extension of Kanyashree scheme for girl students to undergraduate levels. Under this extension programme, self-defense training will be given to girls students in all government-run and government-aided colleges in the state,” confirmed an official of DIP.
It is to be noted that the Kanyashree project, initiated by Mamata Banerjee has recently received a United Nations (UN) award for public services. The initial proposal to start the programme in colleges came from the state women & child development and social welfare department which was forwarded to the state higher education department.
“Accordingly DIP, which comes under the state higher education department, sent notices to all such institutions. The expenditure will be borne by state women & child development and social welfare department from the fund allocated under Kanyashree scheme,” the DIP official said.
