Punjab Social Security Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani on Friday said that to improve the sex ratio of girl child in Punjab the especially conceived Bebe Nanki ladli Beti Scheme has helped people in changing their mindset.
As many as 26,875 beneficiaries have been covered under this scheme and an amount of `53.75 crore disbursed under this scheme, said he.
Expressing contentment over the improvement in male-female ratio in Punjab, the Minister said that schemes like Bebe Nanki ladli Beti, Beti Paraho Beti Bachao, free education to the girl child, celebrating the lohri of girls and other incentives being given to the girl child, were launched with a sole purpose to help and secure the girl child.
All the anganwari centres of the State were equipped with all the required information regarding that scheme. Under this scheme, the focus was laid to educate the girl child so that she could be rightfully empowered.
The Minister has issued directions to the officers of the department to ensure random checking so that only the genuine and deserving beneficiaries were covered.
He also said that it was mandatory for the parents to apply for the benefit within two years of the birth of the girl child. Girls who were born after January 1, 2011 have been covered under this scheme. They have been given `61,000 in a phased manner till she attains the age of 18 years.
The Minister also said that the girl children found abandoned or living in the orphanages/ children homes were also being covered under this scheme.
He said that the poor families with annual income of `30,000 were eligible to apply provided they have a blue card determining their financial status.
He, however, said that if the girl leaves her education at any point of time, she would not be given the benefit of Bebe Nanki ladli Beti Scheme.
Jayani said that the Punjab Government gives a sum of `2100 to the parents at the time of the birth of the girl child and another `2100 after the vaccination.