The Government of India officially unveiled its highly ambitious program called Beti Bachao Beti Padhao or BBBP initiative on 22nd January 2015.

This national programme administered by the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Human Resource Development, and Health & Family Welfare was launched in Panipat, Haryana.

Objectives of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

• The programme attempts to combat the inherent discrimination that girls face in society while altering the national population’s mentality.
• The scheme aims to address a wide range of issues, including the reduction of the child-sex ratio (CSR), as well as to empower women, eliminate gender-based inequalities, and protect female children.
• Education of girl children and their societal participation are other objectives of the initiative.
• The scheme will endeavour to address the CSR issue through massive pan-Indian campaigns, as well as through multisectoral government interventions in 100 gender-critical districts.

Key Features of  Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana

• Organising discussions and debates about lowering the child sex ratio (CSR) in order to raise awareness and ensure improvement.
• Promoting community involvement and striving to improve conditions related to a female child’s development and birth.
• Establishing broad communication campaigns to spread information about the BBBP plan.
• Educating local government officials and involving staff from government agencies and educational institutions in the protest for societal change.
• The BBBP programme strives to protect young girls while also putting an end to cruel practises like foeticide and female infanticide.
• A crucial component of ensuring that every girl child has appropriate access to school is the promotion of women’s participation in education.
• The programme seeks to reduce the gender disparity among children in states like Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The scheme’s other goal is to prevent child marriage and to protect young girls from domestic violence and other related physical and mental abuse.
• Another important component of the programme across the nation is the promotion of gender equality.
• With a view to ensuring their future education, growth, and development, the BBBP scheme promotes financial security for female children.

Eligibility for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

Here are the important considerations regarding the scheme’s eligibility.

• The family must include a young girl under the age of ten.
• In any Indian bank, a Sukanya Samriddhi Account, or SSA, must have been opened in the name of the family’s female child.
• The daughter child must be an Indian resident. NRI citizens are ineligible for the BBBP programme.

Schemes under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao 

Following are some of the well-liked programmes that the BBBP programme has introduced:

• Dhanalakshmi scheme 
• Kanyashree Prakalpa Yojana 
• Ladli scheme 
• Ladli Laxmi Yojana 
• Balika Samridhi Yojana 
• Sukanya Samridhi Yojana 

Additional Read: What are the Governement Schemes for Women in India?

How to Apply for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

• As a first step, you can quickly apply for the programme by going to the bank or post office, where it is readily available.
• After that, you must independently complete the BBBP/SSA application form and attach any required supporting documentation.
• To open an account in your girl’s name and allow her to benefit in the future, you must present these documents to the relevant official.

Documents Required for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

To submit a successful application to the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana ministry, people must provide the following documentation.

• Birth certificate of the applicant
• Parent’s ID card
• Aadhaar card
• Address proof- Driving licence, Utility bills, Passport, electricity bill, etc
• Passport size photograph.

Individuals should maintain the mentioned document on hand to expedite the application process.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme Benefits

The BBBP programme offers a wide range of observable and societal advantages. The following are some of this program’s main advantages:

• A girl youngster can open an account under this programme to achieve future financial security.
• The account will continue to be entirely tax-free and exempt under Section 80C of the Act of 1961.
• This account earns a respectable interest rate, and the girl kid can only withdraw money from it when she turns 18 years old.
• Daughters can easily save money thanks to their parents or guardians.
• A savings plan called the SSA (Sukanya Samriddhi Account) has been introduced as part of the programme.
• Creating awareness of issues affecting women and girls.
• Enhancing the delivery of services for women seeking welfare.
• Be sure to address the dropping child sex ratio in important States and areas.
• Accounts for the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana have an annual interest rate of 8.1%.
• The annual maximum deposit amount is Rs. 1.50 lakh.
• Encouraging women’s inclusion and improved education.

Expansions of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

• Ensuring an annual increase of 1% in secondary enrollment and skill development for women and girls.
• Ensuring that adolescents finish their education, improve their skills, and join the workforce in a range of professions.
• Spreading knowledge about the safety of menstruation hygiene.
• Advocating the ban on child marriage.

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

Target of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojna

The BBBP scheme seeks to accomplish the following:

• Improvement in the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 2 points every year,
• Increase in the proportion of institutional births that are sustained at a rate of 95% or higher.
• 1% annual growth in 1st Trimester ANC Registration, and
• A yearly increase of 1% in the number of girls/women enrolled in secondary education and skilled.
• Check the secondary and higher secondary dropout rate for females.
• Raising awareness about secure menstrual hygiene management (MHM)

Coverage of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojna

First Phase

The 100 districts (45.9KB) have been identified on the basis of low Child Sex Ratio as per Census 2011 covering all States/UTs as a pilot with at least one district in each state. The three criteria for selection of districts are:-

• Districts below the national average (87 districts/23 states);
• Districts above national average but shown declining trend (8 districts/8 states)
• Districts above national average and shown increasing trend (5 districts/5 states- selected so that these CSR levels can be maintained and other districts can emulate and learn from their experiences).

Second Phase

The scheme has further been expanded to 61 additional districts selected from 11 States/UT having CSR below 918. To get the list of additional districts covered, click here (70.4KB).

Pan India Expansion of BBBP

The Pan India Expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) covering all districts of the country was launched on 8th March 2018.

Target group of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojna

1. Primary : Young and newly married couples and expecting parents, Adolescents (girls and boys) and youth, Households and communities
2. Secondary : Schools and AWCs, Medical doctors/ practitioners, private hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres etc. Officials, PRIs/ULBs, frontline workers, Women Collectives and SHGs, civil society organizations,  media, industry, religious leaders 

Strategies

• Implement a sustained Social Mobilisation and Communication Campaign to create equal value for female children and to promote their education.
• Introduce the decline in CSR/SRB into the public discourse; its improvement would be an indicator of sound governance.
• Focus on Gender-Critical Districts and Cities with Low CSR for Integrated and Intensive Action.
• Adopt Innovative Interventions/Actions by Districts in accordance with their local requirements, context, and sensibilities.
• In collaboration with local community/women’s/youth groups, mobilise and train Panchayati Raj Institutions/Urban local bodies/grassroot workers as change agents.
• Engage Communities in order to combat gender stereotypes and social norms.
• Ensure service delivery structures/schemes and programmes are adequately sensitive to gender and child rights issues.
• Permit intersectoral and interinstitutional convergence at the District/Block/Grassroots level.

Components

Advocacy and Media Campaign on Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao

Under the Scheme, a nationwide campaign was launched to honour and support the education of girl children. The goal of the campaign is to ensure that girls are born, raised, and educated without discrimination so that they can become empowered citizens with equal rights. To raise national awareness and disseminate information about the issue, a 360° media strategy is being implemented.

Multi-Sectoral intervention in selected Gender Critical Districts worse on CSR

Under the Scheme, multi-sectoral action in selected 405 districts (including extant 161 districts) covering all States/UTs will concentrate on schematic intervention and sectoral actions in consultation with the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and Human Resource Development. Measurable outcomes and indicatorss will unite concerned sectors, states, and districts for urgent multisectoral action to enhance CSR.

Monitorable targets

• Increase the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 2 points over the course of a year in a few gender-sensitive areas.
• Reduce gender disparities in the under-five child mortality rate from seven points in 2014 (the most recent SRS report available) to one and a half points annually.
• Institutional Deliveries must increase by at least 1.5% annually.
• A minimum 1% annual growth in first-trimester ANC registration. v)To reach 82% of girls enrolled in secondary education by 2018–19.
• Give girls access to working restrooms in each school in the chosen districts.
• Improve the nutritional status of girls by lowering the percentage of anaemic and underweight girls under the age of five.
• Make sure ICDS is implemented worldwide, and use joint ICDS NHM Mother Child Protection Cards to monitor girls’ attendance and equal care.
• By implementing the 2012 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, you may foster a safe atmosphere for young girls.
• Develop grassroots activists and elected representatives into community champions to inspire people to enhance CSR and advance girls’ education.

Project Implementation

The budgetary oversight and management of the programme from the Centre will fall under the purview of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Apex Committee, created under the broader Mission Shakti mandate, would be in charge of regularly reviewing Beti Bachao Beti Padhao implementation with the State Governments/UT administration. The Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development will serve as the committee’s chair.

A Committee created for Mission Shakti and led by the Chief Secretary will oversee the overall execution of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao at the State level. Officers from the Social Welfare Department, Women and Child Development Department, and other pertinent departments from the concerned States/UTs shall make up the committee.

The Mission Shakti Committee, which is comprised of the District Magistrate/District Collector, officers in charge of the Women and Child Development Department (DPO/DWO/DCPO, etc.), and other nodal departments, will carry out the overall implementation at the district level.

To read the full set of scheme rules, click here

Caution against spurious schemes being floated in the name of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojna

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme has come to the attention of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, which has discovered that some unauthorised websites, organisations, NGOs, and individuals are dispersing illegal forms under the guise of cash incentives. The State Government Authorities in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Bihar, where this illegal activity has occurred, have been contacted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development regarding this issue. However, it has come to our attention that fraud perpetrated under the BBBP banner is also occurring in Delhi. In particular, Tikri, Bhatti Khurd, Dakshinpuri Extension, Sangam Vihar, Sanjay Colony, Sarita Vihar, Adarsh Nagar, and JJ Colony have all reported hearing about the issue.

It is made clear that the system does not allow for private cash transfers from the Government of India. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme is dedicated to eradicating deep-seated patriarchy from society, upholding the PC&PNDT Act, and promoting the education of girls. The emphasis is on topics related to women’s empowerment throughout the life cycle. This is not a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

The fraud being committed in the name of the BBBP is a very serious issue, so if you become aware of any such incident, please report it to the local police station and the District Collector or District Magistrate who is in charge in that area. Through different print and electronic media, the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD) has warned people to avoid falling victim to such scams. It should be underlined that the distribution of such forms is entirely unlawful, and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme has absolutely nothing to do with cash incentives.

The Ministry warns against disclosing any personal information in this regard, recommending against joining any such fraudulent scheme, and against sending any such phoney forms to the Ministry of WCD or any other government agency.

In addition, the case has been sent to the Central Bureau of inquiry (CBI) for inquiry, taking in mind the importance of the situation and the general public’s interest.