Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

In 2015, the Indian government introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address concerns about gender discrimination and women empowerment in the country. The name Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao translates to ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’. The scheme aims to educate citizens against gender bias and improve the efficacy of welfare services for girls. It was launched with initial funding of Rs. 100 crore (US$ 13.5 million).

Objectives:

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana aims to achieve the following goals:

1. Improve the child sex ratio

2. Ensure gender equality and women empowerment

3. Prevent gender-biased, sex-selective elimination

4. Ensure survival and protection of the girl child

5. Encourage education and participation of the girl child

The scheme is divided into three components:

(1) advocacy campaigns were launched to address the issue of declining CSR and SBR;

(2) multi-sectoral interventions were planned and are being implemented in gender-critical districts across the country; and

(3) a financial incentive-linked scheme—Sukanya Samriddhi scheme—was launched to encourage parents to build a fund for female children.

Key beneficiaries under the BBBP initiative:

1. Primary Segment: Young and newly married couples; pregnant and lactating mothers; and parents.

2. Secondary Segment: Youth, adolescents (girls and boys), in-laws, medical doctors/ practitioners, private hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic centres.

3. Tertiary Segment: Officials, PRIs, frontline workers, women SHGs/collectives, religious leaders, voluntary organisations, media, medical associations, industry associations and the people at large.

Programmes and interventions designed to incentivise improvements in the CSR and SRB ratios are being implemented in the shortlisted gender-critical districts. The scheme outlines measurable outcomes and indicators to monitor progress in these 640 districts. The performance targets are as follows:

1. Improve SRB in select gender-critical districts by 2 points per year

2. Reduce gender differentials in the under-five child mortality rate metric by 1.5 points per year

3. Provide functional toilets for girls in every school in select districts

4. Increase first trimester antenatal care registration by 1% per year

5. Improve nutritional status by reducing the number of underweight and anaemic girls (under five years of age)

Key Developments:

1. The National SRB Index has shown an upward trend from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20), an improvement of 16 points in five years.

2. 422 districts out of the 640 districts covered under BBBP have shown improvement in SRB from 2014-15 to 2018-19.

3. The National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary schools improved from 77.45 (2014-15) to 81.32 (2018-19)—3.87 points in four years.

4. Proportion of schools with separate, functional toilets for girls rose from 92.1% in 2014-15 to 95.1% in 2018-19.

5. 1st trimester ANC registration rate increased from 61% in 2014-15 to 71% in 2019-20.

Institutional deliveries rate soared from 87% in 2014-15 to 94% in 2019-20.

 

Benefits

Under this scheme, several initiatives have been undertaken by districts to build consciousness among target groups and other stakeholders:



Digital Guddi-Gudda Board:

A digital platform for exhibiting gender disparity in birth rates and providing information on schemes and programmes created for safeguarding the girl child

Udaan - Sapne Di Duniya De Rubaru:

Initiative offering girls an opportunity to shadow professionals in fields of their choice

My Aim My Target Campaign:

Recognition programme to felicitate top academic performances by girls in higher secondary schools

Lakshya Se Rubaru:

Internship programme for female students in colleges – for encouraging them to make informed decisions about their careers

Noor Jeevan Ka Betiyan:

A week-long campaign celebrated with gender empowerment theme-based interactive activities organised in Panchayats, schools, and colleges

Bitiya and Birba:

Awareness campaign on the BBBP initiative, along with environmental protection. Under this, each mother of a newly born girl child is celebrated and honored with a plant

Aao School Chalein:

Enrolment campaign involving door-to-door visits and registrations to ensure 100% enrolment of girls in schools

Collector Ki Class:

Initiative offering free coaching classes and career counselling for underprivileged girls in public schools and colleges

Bal Cabinet:

Youth leadership programme where girl students simulate government cabinets and ministerial roles to discuss and resolve issues

Eligibility

1. The family should have a girl child below 10 years of age.
2. There should be a Sukanya Samriddhi Account or SSA which has been opened in any Indian bank, in the name of the girl child in the family.
3. The girl child should be a resident Indian. NRI citizens do not possess eligibility for the BBBP scheme.

Exclusions

NRI citizens do not possess eligibility for the BBBP scheme.

Application Process

Offline

Step 1:

Visit the bank or post office wherever the scheme is available

Step 2:

Obtain and Fill the application form for BBBP/SSA

Step 3:

The form is to be filled manually and attached with all the required documents

Step 4:

Submit the documents to the same bank/post office. The account must be opened in the name of the girl child



Note: This account can be easily transferred from one bank/post office account to another bank/post office account

Documents Required

1. Birth Certificate of the Girl Child (issued by the hospital or a recognized government body)
2. Proof of Identity of the Parents (Aadhaar Card, Ration Card, etc.)
3. Proof of Address of the Parents (Passport, Driving license, Utility bills like water, telephone, electricity, etc)
4. Passport size photograph