In an effort to counter the adverse sex ratio in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide ‘Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao’ or save girl child and educate her campaign at Panipat in Haryana.
Mr Modi said, there is an urgent need to reduce the increasing imbalance amongst the girl and boy child for the betterment of the society.
Referring to the mindset of the people of the society, the Prime Minister said, by reducing the child sex ratio, the country is not only damaging the present society but creating problems for future generations too which is a cause of concern. He pleaded the people not to kill their girl child in the wombs rather provide them a secure environment and education.
The Prime Minister also asked the doctors not to earn money by being a partner in heinous crime of killing the girl child. Mr Modi also wondered that on one hand people want educated daughters-in-law but on the other they think twice before educating their own daughters.
Asking the society to come out of the mental illness of inequality between boys and girls, the Prime Minister said there is a need to be more sensitive and aware towards saving the girl child as well educating them for a stable tomorrow. Mr Modi termed as incorrect the thought that only a son can take care of parents in old age. He said, the increase in the number of old age homes in the country is an example that how much sons are taking care of their parents.
Prime Minister Modi also launched Sukanya Samridhi Yojana to make the girl child economically stronger. He also administered pledge to the people that they will object to sex determination test and female feticide.
Haryana has been 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 which stands at 879 girls per 1,000 boys as against the national child sex ratio of 918 girls per 1000 boys.
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said, 33 per cent reservation in police for women can help in decreasing many evils in the society including feticide.