New Delhi, Jan 23: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) on Tuesday credited the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme for effecting a positive change in age-old mindsets of society towards the girl child as seen in the positive trend of more births of girls since the scheme’s inception in the past four years in the country.
Defending itself against criticism on the scheme in a section of the media on the effectiveness and extent of expenditure on the campaign to raise awareness about the girl child, it said the primary goal of the scheme was to create national mass awareness and sensitisation on the gravity of this unabated decline in the number of girls through nation-wide 360 degree media campaign outreach.
Attributing the happy outcome of the scheme to the huge awareness generated across the country taking the message of BBBP to every nook and corner, the ministry said ‘the scheme has triggered off unprecedented deliberations and introspection among the people, which is resulting in positive change of age old mindsets of the society towards girl child. This is evident by positive trend in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) with more girls getting birth since inception of BBBP in the last four years in the country.
In a clarification, the WCD Ministry said the growing strong voices for protection, survival, education and empowerment of girl child ‘can be seen amply by all.’
Referring to a news item on the BBBP, the WCD Ministry clarified that the BBBP scheme addresses unabated decline in Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment by changing society’s mindset to value the girl child.
‘Side by side, related innovative activities in huge numbers were being carried out in 405 selected BBBP districts across the country under the active leadership of District Magistrates/DCs/Collectors. The scheme is designed to devote substantial portion of its budget on community engegemments, awareness campaigns and publicity outreach, therefore it is obvious that expenditure in this aspect will be on the higher side,’ the ministry said.
Admitting that the steep decline in CSR since 1961 (976 in 1961 to 927 in 2001 and 918 in 2011) was ‘a matter of grave concern’ as it reflected deep discrimination against girls/women both pre-birth and post birth, thereby resulting in perpetuation of low status of women in our society.
The tri-ministerial scheme has the active involvement of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare and Human Resource Development at levels of Central, States and Districts had received unprecedented response from all walks of life of the Society, including from political leadership and committed official machineries, the statement further said.
