Stepping up its ongoing campaign to reverse adverse sex ratio in the State and achieve success through welfare schemes, the BJP-led Haryana Government has initiated the process to review various schemes implemented by the previous State Governments.Primarily, the ongoing schemes in the State aimed at improving sex ratio and ensuring women and child development are being reviewed by the current Manohar lal Khattar’s government.
The review of State’s schemes will serve dual-purpose for Haryana Government including assessing the performance/ success of such schemes and also, identifying duplication of incentives announced under Central scheme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP).The schemes with less success rate and providing similar incentives that of under BBBP are likely to be discontinued by the State Government from next financial year. Besides, the Haryana Government is also planning to announce new schemes for welfare of girl child in the State.
Notably, Chief Minister Manohar lal had recently stated that a new policy would be announced on the occasion of women’s day on March 8 for further improving the sex ratio in the State.Haryana, the State with skewed sex ration was chosen by the Central Government for the nationwide launch of (BBBP) scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As per the data with state Health Department, the sex ratio was 877 girls per 1000 boys till November last year, higher than 833 girls per 1000 boys in 2011. The sex ratio in Haryana is 837, in the below six years of age category.“The State Government is reviewing all the schemes implemented for the welfare of girl child and women development by the previous State Governments. This is being done to ensure that similar incentives are not provided to the beneficiaries under Centre’s BBBP and State Government schemes. And, also to assess its success in the past years,” said a senior official of the state government while talking to The Pioneer.
The senior official said, “Few State Government schemes are likely to be discontinued or revised from next financial years. The ongoing schemes include ladli scheme, loaning schemes for women among others are being reviewed.”“Under Centre’s BBBP scheme, many incentives would be provided to ensure social security and education of girl child. As the BBBP scheme will be launched in 12 districts in the first phase, the Government is examining the current Government’s schemes,” said the official.
Initiated with an aim to improve the declining sex ratio and to combat the social evil of female foeticide, the ladli scheme launched by Haryana Government coupled with other initiatives has so far failed to achieve its intended goal.Besides providing financial assistance through various schemes, the Government is giving stipend, free bicycles to girl students for educational purposes. The State had also introduced reservation for girls in Industrial Training Institutes.
Among other initiatives, the Health Department in collaboration with Women and Child Development Department and others is also organising gender sensitisation campaigns. When contacted, Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain said that the priority of the Government is to implement the BBBP scheme in an effective manner to improve sex ratio. The schemes announced during the previous Governments are also going on and we are now working to implement it in a better way, added she.