Poor Utilisation of Funds in Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

• 14 Dec 2021

According to a latest report by the Committee on the Empowerment of Women, there has been poor utilisation of funds in the implementation of scheme in many States.

• According to the report, almost 80 per cent of the funds for the scheme have been used for its advertising and not on sectoral interventions such as in health and education for women.
• The committee further observed that out of a total of Rs 446.72 crore released during 2016- 2019, “a whopping 78.91% was spent only on media advocacy”.

What is Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme?

• Launched in January, 2015, it is a national initiative which aims to address the issue of the declining child sex ratio image (CSR).
• This scheme is run jointly by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Objectives

• To prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination.
• To ensure the protection and survival of the girl child.
• Ensuring education and participation of the girl child.

Recommendation by the Committee

• It recommended that the government should reconsider spending on advertisements and should focus on planned expenditure allocation for sectoral interventions in education and health.
• Social workers must also be supported by local police, members of legislative assembly, and other influential people.
• The campaign must extend to making parents, brothers and Indian be proud of a woman’s autonomy.
• It also must seek to educate men those women are their equal – not only at school but in every arena.