K'taka Govt's gesture towards girl child

Bangalore, Mar 20 (UNI) The Karnataka government today announced a new scheme to check female infanticide and correct the adverse sex ratio in the state.

In the budget for 2006-07 presented in the state Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced the 'Bhagya Lakshmi' scheme to give moral courage to a family below poverty line when a girl child is born.

Under the scheme, he said any girl child born after March 31 would be eligible to get Rs 10,000 in her name. After completion of 18 years, the girl could draw the amount along with the interest.

''This would take care of the needs and future of the girl child,'' he opined.

Stating that the government had estimated that the scheme would require Rs 234 crore, he said it would be restricted to only two girl children in a family.

Mr Yediyurappa said the government was committed to correct the current adverse sex ratio, of 966 girls for every 1,000 boys.

To focus on gender based budgeting to prioritise and orient public expenditure vis-a-vis concerns of women, a Gender Budget Cell would be set up in the Finance Department. The Cell would identify the quantum and resource allocation and expenditure for women and ensure proper transalation of policy commitments.

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