Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
Age-old and persistent gender inequality and step-motherly attitude towards girls have been the sole causes of a deplorable child sex ratio in India. It is disheartening to note that even today the birth of a girl child is not seen with a bright heart. Against this backdrop the central government sponsored Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana Scheme.
When was the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme Launched?
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana is the flagship scheme launched by the Central Govt. of India in 2015. The main aim of this scheme is to address the declining girl child sex ratio and to promote the education and empowerment of female students.
This scheme was launched by the central government and jointly initiated with The Ministry Of Women & Child Development, The Ministry Of Human Resource Development and The Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare.
Benefits & Objectives Of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
The primary objective of this scheme is to change the mindset of people and society towards the girl child and to promote gender equality. This scheme also aims to improve the welfare of girl students to access their healthcare and education facilities.
In order to ensure coordinated and convergent efforts the Government of India has announced Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao Yojana in January 2015. The basic objectives of this initiative are prevention of gender based sex selective elimination, ensuring survival and protection of the girl child and ensuring education and participation of the girl child.
It is a social campaign of the Government of India that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls. The overall objective of this initiative is to improve CSR in the country.
There is indeed a need to wake up the society and to realize our responsibility towards girl children. Female foeticide is a criminal offence and it must be discouraged both through legal means and persuasion. Everyone of citizenry should have one motto i.e. “beta -beti ek samman”.
The trend of decline in the child sex ratio (CSR) – the number of girls per 1000 boys between 0-6 years of age – has been unabated since 1961. The decline from 945 in 1991 to 927 in 2001 and further to 918 in 2011 is alarming. This is an indication of women disempowerment in disguise in the country.
Social mindset discriminating against girls on the one hand misuse of diagnostic tools on the other has been critical in increasing sex selective elimination of girls leading to low CSR. It is interesting to note that the trend of low CSR is most pronounced in relatively prosperous regions of India.
Components Of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
This scheme have multiple or several components towards the girls child and students, these are:
- It includes a Mass Communication Campaign.
- It Includes Community Mobilization and Advocacy efforts.
- It includes the Girl Child Protection Committee.
- It Provides Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana Saving account opening scheme to promote saving for education and marriage of girl child.
- It provides Incentives, scholarships for girl children to promote birth and education of girl children.
Conclusion
This scheme has been implemented in several states and districts of India and it has been providing a positive impact to improving the sex ratio and the awareness of girl child in the society.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme is a comprehensive scheme aimed at promoting the welfare and education of the girl children in India. The scheme has several components that address issues related to gender equality, awareness, and empowerment of girls.
The scheme has successfully improved the sex ratio and awareness about the importance of educating and empowering girls in several states and districts of India.
