Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana: Empowering Girls, Shaping a Brighter Future

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana initiative marks its 10th anniversary in 2025. Launched in 2015, this scheme aims to empower and uplift the daughters of India.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana Celebrates 10 Years in January 2025
The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative completes a decade in January 2025. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, 2015, this program has made significant strides in improving the sex ratio, promoting girls’ education, and enhancing healthcare for females.

This centrally sponsored scheme is fully funded by the Union government. As it enters its second decade, the focus will shift towards fostering long-term societal changes, with a goal of achieving gender equality and empowering women.

What is the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme?
The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme is a flagship program launched by the Government of India. The scheme’s name reflects its dual objective: “Beti Bachao” translates to “Save the Girl Child,” while “Beti Padhao” means “Educate the Girl Child.” The initiative aims to create an environment that supports girls and ensures they are afforded the same opportunities as boys.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Details

10 Years of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative, which was launched to protect, educate, and empower girls in India. Over the past decade, the BBBP scheme has achieved significant progress in enhancing the status of girls across the country.

Awareness campaigns such as “Selfie with Daughters” and “Beti Janmotsav” have encouraged families to celebrate the birth of girls. The scheme has now been integrated with Mission Shakti, a program dedicated to women’s safety and empowerment, further strengthening efforts to protect and uplift girls.

The 10th-anniversary celebrations of the BBBP scheme will run from January 22 to March 8, 2025, concluding on International Women’s Day. Nationwide campaigns across print, digital, and social media will spotlight the scheme’s message, and a plantation drive will promote environmental sustainability.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme Objectives
The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was launched to address the declining Child Sex Ratio and to support the survival, protection, and education of the girl child. Key objectives of the scheme include:

• Preventing Gender-Biased Sex-Selective Elimination: The initiative aims to eradicate practices that lead to the selective elimination of female fetuses.
• Ensuring the Survival and Protection of the Girl Child: Focus is placed on the health and well-being of girls, ensuring they receive adequate care and protection.
• Promoting Education and Participation of the Girl Child: The scheme encourages families to educate their daughters and support their involvement in various activities.
• Improving the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB): The initiative seeks to improve the SRB by raising awareness about the importance of girls in society.
• Increasing Institutional Deliveries to 95% or Above: Emphasis is placed on safe childbirth practices and access to healthcare facilities.
• Raising Awareness about Menstrual Hygiene: The scheme promotes safe menstrual hygiene management, ensuring that girls have access to necessary resources.

The scheme follows a multi-sectoral approach, involving sectors like health, education, and community awareness.

Achievements of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
The achievements of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme over the past ten years are highly impressive. The scheme has made remarkable progress in the following areas:

• Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) Improvement: The national SRB has increased from 918 in 2014-15 to 933 in 2022-23 (HMIS, MoHFW).
• Increase in Girls’ GER: The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for girls in secondary education has grown from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 79.4% in 2021-22 (U-DISE Plus, MoE).
• Rise in Institutional Deliveries: Focus on improving healthcare access has resulted in an increase in institutional deliveries from 87% in 2014-15 to over 94% by 2019-20.
• Perception Change: Campaigns such as “Selfie with Daughters” and “Beti Janmotsav” have successfully celebrated the birth of girls and encouraged gender equality.
• Skill Development: The scheme has partnered with the Ministry of Skill Development to promote vocational training programs for girls, boosting their economic participation.

In conclusion, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has made substantial strides in shifting societal attitudes and improving the overall status of girls over the past decade. In the years ahead, the focus will be on maintaining these successes and ensuring sustainable, long-term changes.