International Girl Child Day today

Madhya Pradesh.

Under leadership of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan during last 9 years, a number of schemes and programmes for girl child have been implemented in Madhya Pradesh to create positive atmosphere in favour of them. These schemes and programmes have not only yielded impressive result, but have also been replicated throughout the country.

Birth of girl child is a matter of pride and not a curse. For creating this mindset, Ladli Laxmi Yojana was launched first. The scheme changed the mindset of considering girls as curse. This is the only scheme in entire country through which all responsibilities of girls from birth to marriage are borne by government. Till date, 18.50 lakh girls have been benefited through this scheme. In their families, these girls are a matter of respect. The scheme sends the message throughout the state to accept girls.

Beti Bachao Abhiyan was launched in 2011 to create sense of respect towards girls in society. Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan led an intensive campaign throughout the state for this which succeeded in making society think that there is no difference between boys and girls. This scheme was given national-level recognition at Panipat in Haryana on January 22, 2015 when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched “Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao” Abhiyan at national level. Not only this, Prime Minister Shri Modi also declared slogan of Chief Minister Shri Chouhan “Beti Naheen Bachaoge To Bahu Kahan Se Laoge” as national slogan. Swagatam Laxmi Yojana was launched in Madhya Pradesh in 2014 to ensure that girls are respected everywhere including home, society, stage, hospital and school. Now, a girl is given public reception as soon as she is born. She is greeted when she goes to school for first time. Objective behind these exercises is to change people’s mindset.

The state government has initiated concrete measures to ensure that girls are educated, empowered and capable. The state government has provided free cycles to 20 lakh girls to help them imbibe education and avail benefit of schemes. They are given free books and 2 sets of uniform. The girls joining higher education after passing class XII in first division are given Rs. 500 per month scholarship. Pratibha Kiran Yojana has been launched for their higher education. Female literacy rate in the state has gone up to 60 per cent. Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana has been launched so that girls’ marriages are not impeded. For women’s economic and political empowerment, they have been given 50 percent reservation in Panchayats and urban bodies apart from 30 percent reservation in police force. For enhancing women’s respect in families, ration cards are being issued in the name of woman head of family. Women have also been given 30 percent reservation in allocation of fair price shops.

Shaurya Dals have been constituted to train women to face any situation. It is the result of these efforts of the state government that mindset of state’s people has started to change.