Making a strong pitch for ending the wretched practice of female foeticide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged the people of Haryana to take a pledge to save girl child to celebrate state's golden jubilee year in a befitting way.
"It is Haryana's daughters who have brought laurels and pride on multiple occasions. Not only Haryana, but they have made the entire India proud. On the occasion of state's golden jubilee year, all the Harayanvis should pledge to oppose female foeticide and protect the girl child," said the Prime Minister after inaugurating a mega event at Gurugram to celebrate the golden jubilee year of the state.
Expressing contentment over the efforts made by Manohar lal Khattar led Haryana Government under 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' programme, Modi said, "I was always concerned that such a distinguished state is suffering due to female foeticide. But now, gender ratio has improved in the state and Haryana is also immensely contributing in improving the sex ratio in the country."
Notably, Haryana, which had the worst sex ratio among states in the 2011 census, was chosen by the Prime Minister to launch the nationwide ambitious 'BBBP' in 2015. Haryana had the lowest child sex ratio of 834 compared to the national average of 919 (according to census of India 2011).
A year later, the state had recorded sex ratio at 903 in December last- the first time in a decade that it had crossed 900 in Haryana.
The Prime Minister also called upon the residents of Haryana to make the state 'open defecation free'. "let us think about making Haryana ODF (open defecation free) in this golden jubilee year. Such occasion provides an opportunity to take a pledge to get new tasks done," he said.
Praising the northern state which has a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Modi said Haryana is a relatively small state but it has contributed in so many areas.
"It is believed that Haryana has only farmers but see the exemplary success of businessmen from Haryana. People of Haryana have given their lives for the nation by serving in the armed forces. One out of every ten soldiers in India belongs to Haryana," he said.
The Prime Minister also praised the efforts being made by the State Government to phase out the use of kerosene stoves in the rural areas of the state.
Pitching the idea of beginning Haryana's transformation in its villages considering the state's rural and agrarian nature, Modi said, "May the process of transformation begins in our villages and when this happens, the development of Haryana will receive an impetus."
Striking a chord with the people, the Prime Minister also urged each Haryanvi to move one step ahead during the swarna jayanti year. This would make Haryana move 2.5 crore steps ahead. If done, none of the states in the country would have the strength to match Haryana, he said.
He added that Haryana has a potential to work as a "growth engine" to accelerate the pace of development of the country.
Earlier, the Prime Minister honoured the silver medalist of Rio Paralympics - 2016, Deepa Malik by giving her cash award of Rs 4 crore.
He also launched three new schemes for Haryana, declared seven rural districts of the state open defecation free (ODF), eight districts "Kerosene Free" and released the commemorative postage stamp of the state.
The schemes launched on the occasion included 'Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojana', 'Automation of Fair Price Shops' and 'Kerosene free' Haryana.