Uttar Pradesh is witnessing remarkable progress in the implementation of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme.

Aimed at empowering women and girls and improving the state’s sex ratio, the initiative has driven significant societal change through over 23,000 awareness programmes. These efforts are fostering positive attitudes toward the birth of girls and ensuring their rightful place in the fabric of society.

Making the above claims here on Thursday evening, an official spokesman claimed that the Yogi Adityanath government, in alignment with Central schemes, is implementing a comprehensive action plan for the holistic development of all sections of society. Through the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative, the government is not only combating gender-based discrimination and improving the sex ratio but also ensuring the protection and empowerment of the girl child, the official added.

Awareness campaigns under the scheme are being actively conducted across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Funds are allocated to districts based on the birth sex ratio to support these efforts. In the financial year 2023-24 alone, a total of 26.60 lakh women and girls were reached through 23,184 awareness activities.

Additionally, the initiative focuses on empowering girls through education and promoting their higher education. The Yogi government is successfully paving the way for girls to become self-reliant and ensuring their equal participation in building a progressive society.

Under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, implemented by the Women and Child Development Department, the Yogi government has allocated Rs 17.86 crore to all districts for the financial year 2024-25 to ensure its smooth operation. This funding supports various programmes and awareness activities under Mission Shakti 5.0, focusing on preventing female foeticide and promoting girls’ education across the state.

The districts of Uttar Pradesh are consistently improving their performance under the scheme. Notably, districts like Lakhimpur Kheri, Etah, Saharanpur, Meerut, and Bulandshahr have emerged as top performers, effectively utilising 60 per cent to 99 per cent of their allocated budgets to implement the scheme efficiently and drive impactful results.

Meanwhile, the spokesman further claimed that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has made remarkable progress in women’s health and related areas over the past seven and a half years. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2020-21, the state’s fertility rate has decreased from 2.7 to 2.4, indicating a controlled population growth. Simultaneously, the sex ratio has improved significantly, reflecting a rise in the number of women per thousand men.

In urban areas, the sex ratio stands at 985 women per 1,000 men, while in rural areas, it has reached 1,037 women per 1,000 men. Overall, the state’s sex ratio has increased to 1,020 women per 1,000 men. This progress is attributed to strict measures taken to curb female foeticide and enhanced awareness campaigns promoting family planning. These achievements underscore the state’s commitment to ensuring better health and equality for women.