Beti Bachao, Beti Padho launched in Additional 61 districts

Maneka Gandhi formally launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padho scheme in additional 61 districts today. The Scheme was launched by the Ministry at a high level conference at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

It was attended by Principal Secretaries, Departments of WCD and Social Welfare, Education and Health, Deputy Commissioners and Collectors and District Magistrates from the new 61 BBBP Districts.

Launch and progress:

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22nd of January 2015 and has completed one year of implementation. On completion of its first year, the BBBP scheme is being expanded in additional 61 districts across 11 States and UTs with low Child Sex Ratio.

Secretary, WCD V. Somasundaran gave the details of the progress made under the scheme at the Conference. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development shared experiences of their sectoral interventions on improving the Sex Ratio at Birth and initiatives to encourage girl child education.

The Conference provided an opportunity for experience sharing and motivated the new districts to plan and execute the programme successfully. Collectors of select BBBP districts from four corners of the country had been invited to share the innovative interventions undertaken in the past one year in an interactive session. Representative civil society partners had also been invited to participate in the Conference.

Exhibition gallery:

A walk through exhibition gallery showcased the journey of the scheme from few representative states and districts. A booklet was released on this occasion, showcasing the journey of BBBP over the first year of its implementation.

This booklet presented innovative local interventions undertaken in the past year in various districts. Community participation is a prerequisite for the success of the scheme. Representatives from the grassroots had also been invited to share their experiences in the movement for gender equality

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao:

The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme is designed to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio and related issues of disempowerment of women through a life cycle continuum.

Initially launched in select 100 districts (low on CSR), the key elements of the scheme include awareness and advocacy campaign, multi-sectoral action in select 100 districts (low on CSR) and effective enforcement of Pre-Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act.

It is a tri-ministerial initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development. The stewardship of District Magistrates and Deputy Commissioners has enabled meaningful innovations at the field level.