The Union Government has launched ambitious Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) (save daughter, educate daughter) campaign to save and empower girl child. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat in Haryana.
Haryana was chosen to launch the nation-wide Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao initiative because of the skewed sex ratio in the state. It has one of the lowest Child Sex Ratio in country which stands at 879 girls per 1,000 boys as against the national child sex ratio of 918 girls per 1000 boys. Referring to Haryana, Modi said it was very painful for him to see that in a state which produced a woman like Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to have travelled in space, “other Kalpana Chawlas are killed in the wombs of their mother”.Pleading to end this ill practice, he said, “The Prime Minister of this country had come to them like a beggar and was begging for the lives of daughters.”
He also launched Sukanya Samridhi Yojna (girl child prosperity scheme), under which girl children below 10 years will have bank accounts with more interest and income tax benefits. It aims to spread awareness about the declining trend of Child Sex Ratio in the country.
Bollywood evergreen diva Madhuri Dixit has been roped in as the brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign’.
Objective
To prevent gender biased sex selective elimination by strict enforcement of laws with stringent punishment to violators.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), is the nodal agency for the implementation of the scheme. While center has provided initial corpus of 100 crore rupees for it. It will be implemented in 100 districts of the country, including 12 districts of Haryana. In this regard, union government will try to ensure access and availability of essential requirements related to nutrition, health-care, education, protection and elimination of discrimination of girl child.
This scheme will also generate awareness and improve the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women. Thus, by launching this scheme government is aiming to eliminate gender inequality by creating favourable environment including employable opportunities, safety and security, mobility and speedy justice for women.
Facts about Sukanya Samridhi Yojna:
- It would fetch an interest rate of 9.1 per cent and provide income tax rebate.
- ‘Sukanya Samridhi Account’ can be opened at any time from the birth of a girl child till she attains the age of 10 years, with a minimum deposit of Rs 1000.
- A maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh can be deposited during the financial year.
- The account can be opened in any post office or authorised branches of commercial banks.
- The account will remain operative for 21 years from the date of opening of the account or marriage of the girl child after attaining 18 years of age.
- To meet the requirement of higher education expenses, partial withdrawal of 50 per cent of the balance would be allowed after the girl child has attended 18 years of age.
Download as PDF
Read next article: PAHAL Scheme ››
Read previous article: « Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana
« Back to banking material page