An orientation workshop under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development was held in New Delhi today. Principal Secretaries of WCD/Social Welfare Departments of states, District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners, and representatives of other relevant district level authorities of 61 additional districts selected under the expansion of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme participated in the workshop. In today’s workshop, the Ministries of Women & Child Development, Health and Family Welfare and Human Resource Development shared experiences from their sectoral interventions on improving the Sex Ratio at Birth, initiatives undertaken to encourage girl child education and to strengthen the advocacy initiatives.
Addressing the participants, the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi highlighted the need of gathering support of key stakeholders and involving local champions, and prominent local personalities to ensure effective mindset change in the community. She deliberated with the Collectors on issues related to community mobilization, effective implementation of PCPNDT Act, promoting girl child education and effective monitoring of BBBP. Appointing Special Mahila Police Volunteers (SMPVs) can be very helpful for effective implementation of BBBP, the Minister explained. Smt Maneka Gandhi said that the SMPVs will act as eyes and ears of the district administration and help provide essential information regarding child marriages, girls being prevented from going to school, toilets for girls in schools, violence against women etc , and addressing these factors forms an important component of BBBP. The Minister advised that the NGOs can become another important partner in BBBP and their involvement can be beneficial since they operate even in the remotest parts of the states.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State, WCD Ministry, Smt Krishna Raj said “Implementation of BBBP is both a challenge as well as a necessity. It is a scheme for everyone and community awareness 'Jan Jagrukta' is the key to achieve its objectives.” The Director from Haryana and Deputy Commissioners/Collectors and District Magistrates from select districts from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh shared their journey of successfully implementing the scheme on ground and the various innovative interventions, they have undertaken like celebration of the birth of girl child, display of birth statistics through digital Guddi Gudda boards, holding inspection visits, sealing of unregistered ultrasonography machines, oath taking ceremonies, among others.
The scheme was initiated in 100 districts across the country last year and has now been expanded to 61 additional districts in 11 States/ UTs with low Child Sex Ratio. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 22nd January, 2015 to address the issue declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of disempowerment of women over a life-cycle continuum. BBBP is a tri-ministerial initiative of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.