Dibang Valley has made the state proud by emerging as the best performer in implementing the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme with an increase of 416 points in sex ratio at birth (SRB). In 2015-16, Dibang Valley had an SRB of 761 points; the next year, it rose to 1,176 points.

India’s misogynist image across the word has been a contentious and discomfiting issue for the countless upwardly thinking citizens. Despite milestones achieved in various field women here are still somewhat of a second class citizen.

Still a widely accepted practice ruled by social norms and gender roles, girls are still seen as a burden and not worthy of investing on. Often communities are resistant to welcome change. Other factors such as poverty, high costs of marriage, lack of education and other opportunities for girls that undermine change the practice. The mental set-up is not confined to illiterate people alone, as countless foeticides are reported among the affluent educated households.  In 2011, India’s child sex ratio (CSR) was at a dismal 918 girls for every 1000 boys.

It was in this backdrop that the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” Yojna, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, 2014. It was launched as a two-pronged attempt at improving the skewed sex ratio and promoting the education of the girl child through multi-sectoral actions. One of its primary goals is to prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination.

Ever since its launch there has been many critics but nonetheless, we need to acknowledge that things may finally be turning for the much neglected girl child. And all must be elated!

However, to be fair visible improvements in Sex Ratio at Birth, may not be necessarily reflective of the success of the scheme. The credit also goes to the stricter implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act. The encouraging outcome is reflective of concerted effort across all spheres.

While Arunachal per se doesn’t face the challenge of female feoticide, however this is not to imply that life is a bed of roses for the girl child here. Institutional births, universal enrollment of girls, dropout rates etc, are the parameters that are the real indicators for measuring the actual impact of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List