Minister for Forests & Social Welfare, Bali Bhagat has called for social transformation through education which is only a potent tool to liberate the society from prevailing morass in the society.“The educational institutions have to play a bigger role in making the students able enough to help weed out social evils like female foeticide from the society”, the Minister maintained.He said students, who are future of the nation need to be inculcated social and moral values along with academic activities enabling them to contribute in creating a harmonious society.Addressing a large gathering of teachers, students, parents and prominent citizens at an annual day function of S.D. Memorial Higher Secondary School at Karwanda in Bhalwal block here today, the Minister said that society is confronting with the social evils like domestic violence, dowry, drug addiction, eve-teasing, female feticide, corruption and other immoral issues and eating the vitals of the society and it is need of the hour to make collective and result oriented efforts to create healthy environment for the coming generations. He said parents, teachers, social and religious organizations have greater responsibility to come forward to work in close coordination to make the society prosperous and progressive.
Expressing concern over the declining sex ratio in some of the districts of the State, Mr. Bali said that all stakeholders of the society have to join hands to seriously deal with this sensitive and social issue. He described female feticide as a heinous crime and sought strongest punishment for those associated in promotion of this practice. Though the government has enacted appropriate laws to deal with the menace of sex determination and feticide but people have to voice concern to eradicate this inhuman practice, he asserted.Highlighting social schemes launched by the government recently, the Minister said that the schemes like Ladli Beti, Aasra, Marriage Assistance Scheme, safeguards the interests of the girls and are specially tailored to promote the girl child. He said every girl born to the parents on or after Ist of April, 2015 with an annual income of Rs. 75,000 in the eight district with grim sex ratio will be adopted by the Government and Rs. 1000/- will be deposited in their accounts upto the age of 14 years and on attaining the age of 21 years, an amount of Rs. 6.50 lakh will be disbursed to the girl for her marriage and other uses.
The students presented a cultural bonanza based on social issues which made the audience spell bound. They gave strong message against the gender bias and female feticide which touched the minds and hearts of the present audience.Minister also distributed prizes among the students who excelled in academic and cultural activities.Earlier, Rakesh Gandotra, Principal S.D. Memorial School presented the annual report of the school and future proposals for the development of the school.Prominent among those present on the occasion included, former CEO and academician, Mr. I.D. Soni, Sahitiya Academy Award winner, Mr. Narsing Dev Jamwal, Padamshiri Awardee, Mr. S.P. Verma and local leaders, Mr. Omi Khajuria, Mr. Madhu Sudhan Sharma, sectoral officers of various departments and Sarpanchs and Panches.