The Government of India officially unveiled its highly ambitious program called Beti Bachao Beti Padhao or BBBP scheme on 22nd January 2015.
The launch took place at Panipat in Haryana for this national program operated by the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Human Resource Development, and Health & Family Welfare.
Objectives of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
- The scheme aims at tackling discrimination inherent in society that is faced by girls while changing the mindset of citizens in the country.
- The scheme seeks to address a wide gamut of issues including the reducing child sex ratio (CSR) and also enhance women empowerment while eliminating gender-based inequalities while also safeguarding girl children.
- Education of girl children and their societal participation are other objectives of the scheme.
- The scheme will seek to address the CSR issue through mass pan-Indian campaigns while it will also have multi-sectoral Government interventions in 100 districts that are labeled as gender-critical.
Key Features of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana
- Setting up debates and discourses relating to reducing Child Sex Ratio (CSR) with the goal towards spreading awareness and ensuring improvement.
- Encouraging community participation and working towards better development relating to the growth and birth of a girl child.
- Setting up mass communication initiatives for disseminating information related to the BBBP scheme.
- Training local governing authorities and also including employees of government organizations and schools in the rally for societal change.
- BBBP scheme aims at safeguarding girl children and also at stopping inhuman acts like foeticide and female infanticide.
- Promotion of women’s participation in education is a key feature, ensuring that every girl child gets suitable access towards education.
- The scheme aims at improving the child gender ratio in States like Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Another objective of the scheme is the prevention of child marriage and the safety of girl children from related physical and mental harassment along with domestic violence.
- The promotion of gender equality is another key feature of the scheme throughout the country.
- Financial security for girl children is encouraged through the BBBP scheme and with a view towards securing their future education, growth, and development.
Eligibility for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
When it comes to eligibility for the scheme, here are the key points to be kept in mind.
- The family should have a girl child below 10 years of age.
- 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.
- The girl child should be a resident Indian. NRI citizens do not possess eligibility for the BBBP scheme.
How to Apply for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
- You can easily apply for the scheme by visiting the post office or bank, where this scheme is readily available as a first step.
- Thereafter, you have to fill up the application form for BBBP/SSA by yourself and attach all supporting documents needed with the same.
- You have to submit these documents to the concerned authority to open an account in your girl’s name and for her to reap the benefits in the future.
Documents Required
There are a few documents that are required for the successful implementation of this scheme. Here is a tally of the documents which you will need in this regard:
- Birth Certificate issued by any recognised government body or a hospital.
- Proof of Identity of the Parents, namely Ration Card and Aadhar Card among others.
- Proof of Address, namely Utility bills such as telephone bill, electricity bill or water bill and also Driving License or Passport among others.
- A passport size photograph.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme Benefits
There are numerous tangible and societal benefits of the BBBP scheme. The major Benefits of this scheme are as follows-
- A girl child can open an account under this scheme to attain financial security in the future.
- The account remains exempted under the Act 1961 u/s 80C and will remain completely tax-free.
- There is a decent rate of interest on this account and withdrawal is only allowed for the girl child when she attains the age of 18 years.
- Easy savings facility for daughters courtesy of parents or guardians.
- Under the scheme, a savings scheme known as the SSA (Sukanya Samriddhi Account) has been unveiled.
- Generation of awareness regarding issues of girls and women.
- Improving delivery of welfare services for women.
- Address declining CSR (child sex ratio) in critical States and regions.
- 8.1% interest rate (per annum) on Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts.
- The maximum deposit limit is Rs. 1.50 lakh per annum.
- Promoting better education and inclusion for women.
Expansions of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
- Ensuring a 1% increase in secondary enrollment and skilling of girls and women each year.
- Ensuring that teenagers complete their schooling, develop their skills, and enter the workforce in a variety of occupations.
- Raising awareness about menstrual hygiene safety.
- Promoting the abolition of child marriages.
Other Girl Child Initiatives by the Indian Government
- National Girl Child Day
- National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education
- Scheme for Adolescent Girls
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
- CBSE Udaan Scheme