Nine more districts to come under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme

These districts have lowest child sex ratio in the state

The Central government scheme to balance the child sex ratio in the country, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is likely to be extended to nine districts in the state.

Vijayapura was the only district from Karnataka among the 100 districts in the country that were selected when the programme was launched in 2015.

An official from the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) told Deccan Herald that the scheme will be extended to nine districts of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Kolar, Yadgir, Bagalkot, Dakshina Kannada, Gadag, Haveri, and Raichur. “A formal approval is yet to come from higher ups. But we have been asked to start working on plans to spread the scheme in these nine districts,” said the official.

Joint implementation
The SSA department, Department of Women and Child, Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights will jointly implement the scheme.

As a part of the preparations to introduce the programme, workshops have been conducted for 200 officials including principals, block education officials, block resource officers and deputy directors of public instruction.

The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme seeks to improve and balance the child sex ratio through various measures such as awareness camps, gender sensitisation and other capacity building programmes. Already an allocation of Rs 41.45 lakh has been made for various activities at the state and the district level for the scheme.
     
Vijayapura scenario
The child sex ratio in Vijayapura is one of the lowest in the state with 928 females per 1,000 males as per the 2001 census and 931 females to 1,000 males in 2011 census. The other districts that have been selected also have a similar child sex ratio, the official said.

According to official statistics, the national average child sex ratio is 918 females per 1,000 males. Compared to other districts in the country, Vijayapura has a comparatively better sex ratio.

In Haryana, for example, 12 districts are under the programme out of which Mahendragarh district has one of the lowest child sex ratios.

According to the 2001 census, this district had 818 females per 1,000 males and this further decreased to 775 females per 1,000 males by the 2011 census.