Modi to announce expansion of BBBP drive in Jhunjhunu today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the expansion of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) programme and launch National Nutrition Mission (NNM) on the occasion of International Women's Day on Thursday, from Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan.

Modi will expand BBBP programme from the existing 161 to 640 districts across the country. He will also interact with beneficiary mothers and girl children of the programme and will distribute certificates to best performing districts under the BBBP campaign.

Modi will honour the district administrations of Sikar and Jhunjhunu for improving the sex-ratio. Prior to the launch of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', Jhunjhunu was at the bottom in the country for its skewed girl sex-ratio. In 2011, there were 848 girls per 1,000 boys, but today it is 952 girls per 1,000 boys.

The prime minister will launch NNM along with NNM-ICDS common application software. The mission is aimed at reducing under-nutrition and low birth weight, bring down anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls and to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children, a release said.

Ahead of the Modi's visit, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje took stock of the situation. Fearing farmer's stir, Vasundhara on Tuesday announced one-time crop loan waiver. The All India Kisan Sabha had threatened that it will not allow any minister to enter Jhunjhunu until the loan waiver issue was resolved. Jhunjhunu falls in the Shekhawati region, which is witnessing agitation by farmer leaders.

Modi's visit assumes importance after the BJP lost three seats in the recent by-polls and the state Assembly polls are slated for later this year.