Hyderabad: Conditional cash transfer (CCT) schemes and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative had contributed to girls’ empowerment, but challenges in gender equality and systemic barriers persist, scholars said on Tuesday. A key case study was West Bengal’s Kanyashree programme, which provides financial incentives to families to delay a girl’s marriage until adulthood.

Researchers from IIT Hyderabad, IIT Guwahati, IIIT Delhi and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vivekananda Vidyabhavan Girls’ College, Kolkata, examined the impact of the initiatives on early marriage, female foeticide and socio-economic development in Telangana, Delhi, Assam and West Bengal, at a conference hosted by IIT Hyderabad.

Dr Anindita Majumdar, associate professor in the department of liberal arts and project investigator, said the event aims to critically assess the strengths and limitations of these policies.

IIT Hyderabad director Prof. B.S. Murty emphasised the need for more research on social impact. “This conference is a step toward understanding how policies can improve gender equality in India,” he said. He also spoke about IIT Hyderabad’s efforts to support women in STEM ( science, technology, engineering, and math) by introducing special provisions and supernumerary seats to encourage more girls to pursue higher education.

Discussions on the first day focused on the effectiveness of CCTs in delaying early marriages and promoting gender equality. The second day will feature a roundtable discussion on preliminary findings and the unintended consequences of financial incentives, including their link to financial inclusion and gender-based violence.