Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the expanded “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. He also launched the National Nutrition Mission, aimed at improving nutrition levels of women and children and reducing low birth weight by 2% each year.
The “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme, implemented as the Union government’s social campaign to create awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls, was expanded from the existing 161 to 640 districts of the country.
Change in mindset
Addressing the function organised on International Women’s Day, Mr. Modi said people should change their mindset towards the girl child in order to bring equality between men and women. He said mothers-in-law should take the lead to protect the girl child and stop the practice of female foeticide, which was a matter of “deep shame.”
“Let us resolve that there will be the same number of girls born as the number of boys. Both of them are equal,” Mr. Modi said, while affirming that gender imbalance had been created in the society because of the mistakes committed by several generations. This needed to be corrected by the younger generation.
This was Mr. Modi’s second visit to Rajasthan in 2018 and the first after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s drubbing in the Lok Sabha and Assembly by-elections last month. Before the State goes to polls in December this year, the Congress also swept the local body by-polls held in 21 districts on Wednesday.
Immunisation plan
The Prime Minister also highlighted the significance of proper nutrition among children and described the changes in the lives of women and children brought about by the “Indradhanush” immunisation programme. He praised the Jhunjhunu district for registering a significant improvement in child sex ratio.
Earlier, Mr. Modi interacted with women and their children and gave awards to Collectors of various districts for their performance under the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme. The districts included Sikar and Jhunjhunu of Rajasthan, Tarn Taran (Punjab), Sonipat (Haryana), Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) and Raigarh (Chhattisgarh).
Trafficking of women
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said the government was planning to introduce a Bill for preventing trafficking of women and children. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje highlighted the State government’s schemes and programmes for girls’ education and empowerment.
