“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has been instrumental in overcoming gender biases and at the same time it has created the right environment to ensure that the girl child has access to education and opportunities to achieve her dreams.”                                                                                                  Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, launched by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 22^nd January, 2015, in Panipat, Haryana, has completed a decade of implementation. This flagship initiative by the Government of India aims to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR), prevent gender-biased sex-selective elimination and promote the survival, protection and education of the girl child. The scheme has evolved to become one of the most impactful social initiatives by the Indian government.

This year, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, marking a decade of relentless efforts to protect, educate, and empower the girl child in India. This milestone aligns with India's vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047 and the global shift from Women’s Development to Women-Led Development. The 10th-anniversary celebrations will span from January 22, 2025, to March 8, 2025, culminating on International Women’s Day. Union Minister of Health and Family Affairs, Shri J. P. Nadda along with Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi and Minister of State, Smt. Savitri Thakur will inaugurate the event on 22^nd January 2025. The opening event will include an oath-taking ceremony and the launch of compendium of best practices. The event will also showcase the launch of Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti portals. Similar events will be organized at state and district levels, with special programs on January 22, January 26, and March 8. Activities will feature rallies, cultural events, felicitation ceremonies, and campaigns under SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women, engaging diverse stakeholders, including schoolgirls, women achievers, and community groups. The Ministry has also launched a social media campaign to spread greater awareness about the scheme on this occasion.

Integration with Mission Shakti

 

The BBBP scheme is now integrated with Mission Shakti, a comprehensive program for women’s safety and empowerment, for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period from 2021-2022 to 2025-2026. Mission Shakti consists of two broader sub-schemes –

1. Sambal: Safety and Security
   Mission Shakti’s Sambal sub-scheme ensures women’s safety through One Stop Centres (OSCs), Women Helpline (181), and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), now expanded nationwide. It also introduces Nari Adalat, providing an alternate grievance redressal mechanism for resolving minor issues like harassment and rights violations.
2. Samarthya: Empowerment - The Samarthya sub-scheme empowers women through Shakti Sadans, relief and rehabilitation homes, Sakhi Niwas, providing safe and secure place for stay for working women in the cities, and Palna-Creche providing safe and secure place for children of working women. The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) now supports a second child if it’s a girl, enhancing maternal health. It also compensates for loss of wages due to pregnancy and childbirth. The SANKALP: HEW (Hub for Empowerment of Women), functions in the district and serves as a single window inter-sectoral convergence mechanism provided for all women to avail the benefits of Central and State Government schemes. It works as a nodal agency at the state and district level to disseminate information regarding various schemes and policies through awareness campaigns at grassroots level

The scheme now emphasizes a multi-sectoral approach, involving health, education, child development, and community awareness. Over the past decade, BBBP has expanded its scope through collaborations between multiple ministries.

 

Key Objectives

• Improving Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by two points every year.
• Improvement in the percentage of institutional deliveries or sustained at the rate of 95% or above.
• 1% increase in 1st Trimester Ante-Natal Care (ANC) Registration per year.
• 1% increase in enrolment at secondary education level and skilling of girls/women per year.
• To check dropout rate among girls at secondary and higher secondary levels.
• Raising awareness about safe Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).

Focus Areas and Target Groups

 

The scheme primarily focuses on:

• Primary Target Groups:

• Young and newly married couples, expecting parents
• Adolescents (girls and boys) and youth
• Households and communities
• Secondary Target Groups:
• Schools, Anganwadi Centers (AWCs),
• Medical doctors/professionals, private hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres etc.
• Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), officials, frontline workers
• Women Collectives and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Civil Society Organizations
• Media, religious leaders, and industry experts

Financial and Operational Structure

BBBP is a centrally sponsored scheme with 100% funding by the Central Government in all the districts of the country under Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti.

Financial assistance varies based on the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) in districts:

• Rs. 40 Lakh per year for districts with an SRB of ≤918.
• Rs. 30 Lakh for districts with an SRB between 919-952.
• Rs. 20 Lakh for districts with an SRB of >952.

Key Developments

The campaign's success is evident in the strides it has made toward addressing gender disparities, with impressive data reflecting its positive impact on society.

1. Improvement in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB)

• From an SRB of 918 in 2014-15, the national SRB improved to 930 in 2023-24. This steady increase showcases the collective impact of BBBP in raising awareness around the gender-biased practices that negatively affect the sex ratio.

                              

 

2. Increase in Girl's Enrollment in Secondary Education

• Girls' enrollment in secondary education has seen a significant increase, with the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for girls rising from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 78% in 2023-24. This reflects the positive influence of BBBP's educational interventions.

3. Increased Institutional Deliveries

• BBBP also emphasized improving healthcare access for women. Institutional deliveries rose from 61% in 2014-15 to over 97.3% by 2023-24, ensuring safer childbirths for mothers and infants in many regions, which has been essential in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.

                                  

 

4. Awareness Campaigns

• Specific campaigns like ‘Selfie with Daughters’ targeted at fathers with girl child gained nationwide traction.
• Community-level activities such as ‘Beti Janmotsav’ to celebrate the birth of girl child.

5. Skilling and Economic Empowerment of Women

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, BBBP has made strides in promoting skill development among young girls and women, enhancing their economic participation.

 

Key Interventions

Multi-Sectoral Interventions 

The scheme operates through a component of Multi-Sectoral Interventions which requires horizontal and vertical convergent action with concerned Ministries/Departments and other stakeholders at all levels, for policy and programmatic interventions, outreach, capacity building and communication.

Awareness Campaigns & Community Engagements

1. Yashaswini Bike Expedition: This cross-country bike expedition by 150 women bikers showcased women’s empowerment and covered over 10,000 km, culminating at the Statue of Unity. It symbolized the strength and resilience of women across the nation.
2. National Conference on Skilling as “Betiyan Bane Kushal”: Held on October 11, 2022, this conference emphasized the need for women’s increased participation in the workforce, demonstrating the movement's commitment to economic empowerment.
3. Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav: Launched on March 7, 2022, this campaign successfully re-enrolled 100,786 out-of-school girls, highlighting the movement's focus on education and equal opportunities.

Conclusion

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme has made significant progress in improving the lives of girls in India. It has helped improve the Sex Ratio at Birth, increase access to education, expand healthcare, and support women’s economic empowerment. The implementing agencies, i.e the districts working with government bodies, NGOs and local communities, the scheme has created a strong foundation for valuing and protecting every girl child. As BBBP enters its 10th year,  the focus will be on making long-term changes through inclusive policies, better implementation, and active community participation. This will ensure continued progress toward gender equality and empowerment.

References

• Ministry of Women and Child Development
• https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1485499764028297217
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2094724
• https://wcd.gov.in/documents/uploaded/1732020683.pdf
• https://wcd.gov.in/documents/uploaded/Mission%20Shakti
• https://wcd.gov.in/women/beti-bachao-beti-padhao
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2080711
• https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/FAQ-BetiBachao,BetiPadhaoYojanaI3K2.pdf
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1691725
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2034930.
• https://wcd.gov.in/images/uploaded/1710061539_9xKA1jy6eB.pdf

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Santosh Kumar/Binoykumar C V/ Gouri S/ Vatsla Srivastava

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