ABSTRACT:

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a scheme that was launched by the Government of India on 22 January 2015, in Panipat, Haryana. This scheme aims at the critical issue of declining child sex ratio and promoting girl-child empowerment through a multi-sectoral approach. Initially implemented in 100 districts and subsequently expanded nationwide, the program focuses on the stringent prohibition of sex-selective abortions, enforcement of PC-PNDT and MTP Acts, and social mobilization to improve female survival and education. The empirical studies showed that the sex ratio at birth has improved substantially in Haryana. It rose from 827 girls per 1,000 boys in January 2005 to 900 girls per 1,000 boys by September 2016, and the statistical analysis indicates that the increase was 1.696 girls per month attributable directly to the BBBP intervention. The scheme, therefore, encompasses efforts from a variety of departments in the government, such as Women and Child Development, Health, and Education. It challenges deeply ingrained social biases and supports an ecosystem of girl-child development and gender equality.1

INTRODUCTION:

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is an initiative launched by the Government of India aimed at raising awareness and enhancing the effectiveness of welfare services for girls. The program was initially allocated a budget of ₹100 crore (approximately US$14 million) and primarily targets regions in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Bihar, and Delhi. Census data indicates that the child gender ratio (ages 0–6) in India was 927 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2001, which decreased to 918 girls per 1,000 boys by 2011. A UNICEF report from 2012 placed India 41st out of 195 countries in terms of gender ratio. The 2011 Population Census revealed a ratio of 943 females for every 1,000 males, indicating a positive trend compared to the 2001 census data. On the International Day of the Girl Child in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for the eradication of female foeticide and invited public suggestions via MyGov.in platform. The BBBP scheme was officially launched by Modi on January 22, 2015, as a national program collaboratively managed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Its objective is to tackle the issue of the declining child sex ratio. 2 The initiative initially concentrated on multi- sectoral actions in 100 districts across the country with low child-sex ratios. On August 26, 2016, Sakshi Malik, who earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics, was appointed as the brand ambassador for the BBBP campaign. The social media movement #SelfieWithDaughter began in June 2015, initiated by Sunil Jaglan, the sarpanch of Bibipur village in Jind, Haryana selfie with his daughter Nandini and posted the same on Facebook on 9 June 2015. Haryana has a consistently low sex ratio that is based deeply on sociocultural factors where female children are not valued much more than male offspring. It is based on beliefs that are steeped in conventional thoughts and economic considerations, such as inheritance laws and the perceived pressure of dowry. Though the introduction of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme included awareness campaigns, financial incentives, and strict monitoring of prenatal sex determination, it remains unable to reverse the profound gender bias. 3 The lack of consistent implementation in the grassroots system, coupled with limited accountability has further hindered progress. Structural reforms such as improving women’s education, a reduction in violence against women, and economic opportunities for women have been sidestepped under the guise of campaigns. This challenge in Haryana has been ineffective enforcement of the PCPNDT Act, which is an act to prohibit sex-selective abortions. Despite legal provisions, the state continues to witness illegal practices being facilitated by a network of unethical medical professionals and clinics. That is the gap between policy formulation and on-ground execution. At the same time, the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative has raised discourse regarding gender equality in the wake of its campaigns; however, its impact does not reach rural societies where patriarchal values are much more profound. The scheme focused more on awareness rather than core issues like poverty, education, and healthcare services for women. Therefore, a sharp decline in Haryana’s sex ratio reflects that the integrated model of enforcement-legal reform coupled with social reforms and economic empowerment of women alone can meet such challenges.4MAP: – 1 Haryana Location Map (India)

The objectives of this study are as follows:

1. To Analyze the Trends in the Sex Ratio in Haryana
2. To Evaluate the Implementation of the BBBP Scheme
3. To Identify Cultural and Societal Barriers
4. To Explore the Administrative and Structural Challenges
5. To Assess Public Awareness and Participation
6. To Suggest Policy Recommendations.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:

The strength of this paper lies in unraveling the deep-seated, intricate socio-cultural, administrative, and structural factors that have hitherto worked against the successful implementation of the BBBP scheme in Haryana, a state notorious for a skewed sex ratio. The deep-rooted problem of gender imbalance in Haryana is not only a demographic problem but also reflective of deeply rooted patriarchal culture, son preference, and the discriminatory practice of female foeticide. This ultimately undermines the social fabric and violates the rights of women and girls, leading to cycles of exclusion and inequality. This research work looks at BBBP’s effectiveness regarding the design gaps and the overall implementation in light of bringing a sustainable change within the attitude and behavior of society. Not only will filling these gaps contribute to improving the sex ratio of Haryana but also towards rectifying similar endeavors across India. These two aspects are brought out in their study, emphasizing a long- term perspective view of the unbalanced sex ratio and its future implications on trends of marriage behavior, population scenario, and eventual socio-economic scenario of the states. This becomes a contribution because it raises such awareness by giving actionable recommendations to shape policies that are both inclusive and sustainable. This also converges with global commitments to the development of gender equality, for example, in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. It emphasizes the empowerment of girls towards achieving some well-balanced and equal development. In this respect, the paper makes a worthwhile asset for policy-makers, administrators, and social activists who are keen on creating a society where daughters are treasured and equal opportunities are distributed among all genders. 5

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Chakrabarti and Chaudhuri (2011) identified women’s education as the most crucial factor in diminishing son preference, thereby establishing female literacy as a significant explanatory variable for the sex ratio. Krishnan and Chandana (1973) analyzed the sex ratio within Haryana’s population at the district level, noting a shortage of females attributed to a low birth ratio and elevated mortality rates. They observed disparities between urban and rural sex ratios, with the state’s ratio falling below the national average. Gosal (2001) investigated the sex composition of India’s population at the district level and discovered a substantial overall deficiency of females compared to males. 6 He noted that variations in sex ratios both within states and districts arise from a complex interplay of social, economic, and demographic factors. 7 Additionally, his study highlighted negative trends in the sex ratio among the 0-6 year age group, which pose serious implications for the future of the country and its regions. 8

Source: Census of India, Haryana Various Issues

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

The researcher has used the doctrinal method to complete the research. The researcher has rigorously analyzed the available resources—legal articles, case laws, legislation, and other resources—to reach a conclusion and analyze whether the hypothesis is true or not.

HYPOTHESES:

1. The researcher will be working on the following hypothesis and will analyze whether the hypotheses are true or not.
2. The declining sex ratio in Haryana is mainly due to the deep-rooted cultural and social values that prefer male children over female children.
3. The failure of the implementation and enforcement of laws like the PCPNDT Act has also contributed to the persistence of illegal sex-selective practices in the state.
4. The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative has been inadequate in its task of awareness only because it has not collaborated well with deeper structural reforms in education, healthcare, and economic empowerment opportunities for women.
5. The nature of the socio-economic status of families in Haryana, particularly poverty and also the pressure of dowry, strongly correlates with choosing male offspring with the resultant collapse of the sex ratio.

LITERAL FACTORS:

Analyzing Haryana’s intercourse rate issue before Beti Bachao Beti Padhao enactment.

Haryana has historically held one of the smallest coitus rates in the country. In 1901, the state had 867 ladies per 1000 males in its total population, as per the statistical text of Haryana coitus rate at birth was 832 in 2012, 868 in 2013, and 871 in 2014. It rose to 876 in 2015. 9

Source: National Commission for Women

Strategies of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme:

Organizing discourses, and debates on the declining Child Sex Ratio with an aim of rapid awareness and improvement. Encouraging communities to participate and work towards their development subjecting to the birth and growth of a girl child Initiating communication campaigns for wider dissemination of the scheme Training local governing bodies as well as including schools, and employees of governmental departments in the process for social change and improvement. vital representatives under the BBBP action. 10

1. Primary portion: Young and lately married couples; pregnant and lactating moms and parents.
2. Secondary Segment Youth, adolescents (girls and boys), in-laws, medical croakers, exponents, private hospitals, nursing homes, and separate centers.
3. The shortlisted gender-critical sections refer to Tertiary Member officers, PRIs, frontline workers, ladies SHGs groups, spiritual leaders, levy organizations, media, medical collaborations, sedulity collaborations, and the people at expert. Schedules and interventions aimed at incentivizing advances in the CSR and SRB allotments are being referred to. The scheme outlines measurable issues and pointers to cover progress in these 640 sections.

The interpretation marks are as follows:

1. Enhance SRB in chosen gender-rejective sections by 2 points per moment.
2. Demote gender differentials in the under-five juvenile mortality class metric by 1.5 points per time.
3. Give running toilets for girls in every seminary in choice sections.
4. Increase first-trimester antenatal care registration by 1 per time.
5. Enhance nutritional status by reducing the work of light and anemic girls (under five ages of time).

Stakeholders include the Ministry of Women and Child Development, state government, district administrations, and community stakeholders.

• Ministry of Women and Child Development:
• State governments
• District administrations
• Communities

INITIATIVES,:

• Digital Guddi- Gudda board
• Udaan – sapne ki Dunya ke rubaru
• My aim for my target campaign
• Aao School Chalain
• Kanya Samhadana Utsav

Estimate of BBBP the study:

It establishes that the campaign for the BBBP scheme has succeeded in creating awareness. The study also highlights some vital conditions regarding girls’ education. The lack of operational and decent bathroom facilities for girls in most schools discourages them from attending school regularly. Accordingly, many of them record random attendance or drop out of academe completely. This leads to a gender gap in education, which, in range, negatively kicks gender equality.

The target group for the field check are:

• freshly married couples, pregnant and lactating mothers;
• medical complainers’ expounders and school educators;
• officers of Panchayati Raj Institutions; and
• District Programmer Officers.
• Consequences of Decline Sex-Ratio:

The increases sex ratio is a big problem in Indian society. And due to the increases tetency of sex-ratio many social problems prevailing in to the Indian social structure like import of girls in other states, high value of crime rate, decreases dignity of women in society , patriarchy system became so strong, less political participation, political awareness will lose, and no proper recognition in family affairs.

Import of girls in other states:- The negative impact of marriage distance on women’s status and autonomy. Women coming from other states are unable to relate with people around them. At time they are even boycotted from making their appearance in social function like marriage or sangeet ceremony in villages due to the language problems, communication barriers and cultural differences. Due to the rigid attitude of rural people, they face problem in cultural mixing.

They are not allowed to visit there native place due to paucity of funds at times or due to the fear factor that they might not come back to their respective husbands. Their right to expression is also violated as they fail to express themselves at their in-laws’ place due to communication problems.

Many times these women are abused by the males of the village when they are socially not accepted in the community.

In few cases it is the children who also suffer in terms of their cognitive development because they speak in their mother tongue and find themselves unable to mix up with other local children of their age.

Crime against of women:- The semantic meaning of crime against women is direct or indirect physical or mental cruelty to women crimes which are Sexual violence, honour killing, early marriage, female foeticide and etc.

Data have collect crime against women in Haryana from 2000 to 2011. Out of the total 3370 incidents of crime against women have been occurred in 2000 and it increased to 6622 in 2010 and finally it decreased to 4500 in 2011.

Table 2 reveals the incidents of crime against women in Haryana along with type of crime from 2000 to 2011.the average incidents of murder, rape, dowry death, kidnapping/abduction, molestation, abetment to commit suicide, cruelty to women, eve teasing, chain snatching, dowry prohibition act, immoral trafficking act and total crime against women have 164, 27, 489, 260, 424, 395, 97, 1810, 669, 348, 5 and 54 respectively from 2000 to 2011.

Haryana is amongst the most affected states regarding declining and imbalance of child sex ratio. There is a continuous decline in the sex ratio of Haryana from 1981 to 2011, due to many reasons. But census 2011 shows a marginal increase in the sex ratio of Haryana, which improve from 861 in 2001 to 877 in 2011.The causes of declining sex ratio was found that dowry system crime against females, lake of political will, small family norms, problem of security of girls traditional thought, son preference, abortion-related practices etc. After that we also observed that there were many consequences of declining Sex-Ratio such as import of girls in other states, crime against women, patriarchy system became so strong, no proper recognition in family affairs were most consequences. If sex ratio declines then the patriarchy system becomes so strong because the less representation of grails in homilies affects the social status of women in society. In this study we were given many solutions to decline sex-ratio.

Source: National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Various Issues

Patriarchy system became so strong:- Men are considered to be the head of household, bred-winners, owners and manager of property, and active in politics, religion, business and the profession. On the other hand women expected and trained to bear and look after children, to nurse the infirm and old, do all household work, and so on. If sex ratio is decline then the patriarchy system became so strong because the less representation of grails in homilies effects the social of women in society.

No proper recognition in family affairs: – If sex-ratio is decline then many problem are create. Women coming from other states are unable to relate with people around them. Social level of women in society is effects are in social function like marriage or sangeet ceremony in village due to the language problem, communication problem barriers and cultural differences. So no proper recognition in family affairs.

Solution of Decline Sex-Ratio:

There are many solutions of related to decline sex-ratio and solutions following are: In the school no gender discrimination should be followed.

The anti-dowry act should be strictly implemented.

Motivation and assistance should be given to the collective marriage system. Society must break the vicious circle of poverty and female illiteracy.

Strict implementation of law in case honour killing must be followed everywhere. Free and compulsory education for the female’s child.

Finally, the mentality of human beings should be changed.

Source: National Commission for Women

11 Examining sexual relations proportion currents in Haryana

After the program launch After the launch of the BBBP in Haryana in 2015, the intercourse proportion at birth expanded to 914 in 2017 equating to 871 in 2014. The sexual intercourse proportion at birth built up to 923 in 2019 and again fell to 922 in 2020, 914 in 2021, 917 in 2022, 916 in 2023, and 910 in 2024.

12 Underlying Socio-Cultural Factors

carrying socio-artistic factors Since 1901, the sexual intercourse proportion in Haryana has not surpassed 900. It’s because of a diversity of factors, involving feminine infanticide, gender separation, and the complacency of girl children’s conditions in the areas of nutrition and healthcare.

13 Reasons for Gender Inequality in India

Alright, gender separation in society is a tomb establishment, and a crowd of particular, societal and artistic phases are at the bone of this expansion. Our Experts hold several reasons for gender inequality in India and some of them are agitated away.

1. Poverty: Poverty stands as one of the immediate motorists of gender inequalities. According to the World, About 70% of the people’s needful population is feminine. Poverty restricts turn to schooling, healthcare, and gainful openings, thereby backing an acute circle.
2. Child Marriage: Child marriage is another fearful phase of gender inequality, disproportionately affecting girls. UNICEF estimates that 12 million girls are married before the period of 18 every time. such trials hold up their expansion and immortalize gender differences across innovations. absence of education is one of the vital reasons for gender inequality that significantly exacerbates the trouble. UNESCO reports that 132 million girls are out of academia universally, with lower turn to learning chances than boys. The right to education is critical in qualifying girls to form informed options, pursue careers, and complaint about societal morals.
3. Poor Medical Health: Child fitness Poor medical health also plays a vital capacity in keeping up gender separation in society. In regions with a lack of healthcare complexes, girls face advanced motherly mortality classes, bounded access to family planning, and health- related impulses.
4. Absence of mindfulness & Patriarchal morals: Lack of education and mindfulness. Lack of mindfulness and essential patriarchal morals further contribute to gender inequality. When societies immortalize gender conceptions and demarcation, it becomes demanding to break up separate from the interference of inequality. Patriarchal ethics hold many girls from attempting their dreams by admitting a grade education, medical establishments, and common mindfulness for their well-being. To address gender inequality effectively, we must attack these joint causes of gender inequality and composition towards establishing sustainable change patterns that will successfully abolish this acute cycle of gender inequality.

EFFICACY OF EXISTING LAWS AND POLICIES:

1. Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994: This act was enacted by the Parliament of India to stop female foeticide and stop the declining sex ratio in India. This act banned prenatal sex determination i.e., to see whether the child in the womb of the mother is a boy or a girl. The main objective of the act was to ban the use of sex selection techniques before or after conception and to prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostics techniques for sex-selective abortion. 14 Though this act was enacted before the launch of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative, this act helped to save the girls from being aborted which served one of the main objectives of BBBP i.e., to save girl child. As a result, the sex ratio in Haryana has improved from 871 girls per 1,000 boys in 2014 to 910 girls per 1,000 boys as of January 2025. However, some people go to neighboring states to conduct prenatal sex determination. 15
2. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012: This act was enacted to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. Haryana conducted many awareness camps but there wasn’t any positive result as the cases against women and children in Haryana increased. Haryana experienced a significant increase in crimes against women and children. Between 2017 and 2019, the state saw a 39% rise in reported rape cases, from 1,248 to 1,734. Additionally, cases of cruelty against women increased by 46% during the same period. 16 These stats show that while awareness programs are taking place, the efficacy of the POCSO Act in Haryana faces challenges.
3. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006: This act was enacted to prevent child marriages in India. This act couldn’t completely fulfill its purpose and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, which was to prevent child marriages and empower and protect the girl child. Despite the efforts, the practice of child marriages persists in Haryana. According to the National Crime Research Bureau (NCRB) data 125 cases of child marriages have been reported in Haryana between 2017-2021. 17 However, Haryana has fewer cases registered under the Child Marriage Act than other states. The PCMA, 2006, has shown some efficacy but is not up to the mark.
4. Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009: This act mandates free and compulsory education for all children aged 6-14. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative which was launched in 2015 aims to empower, protect, and educate the girl child and prevent gender-based discrimination. This act fulfills one of the main objectives of the BBBP scheme i.e., to educate the girl child. The RTE Act, 2009 led to the enrollment of many girls in school in Haryana. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls at the secondary level in Haryana improved from 77.45% in 2014-15 to 81.32% in 2018-19, indicating better retention. 18

CHALLENGES TO THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO SCHEME:

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme (BBBPS) is a flagship program run by the central government to ensure the survival, protection, and education of the girl child. The idea may be noble, but according to Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) state reports, the scheme has not been able to achieve its objectives. Successful implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme faces challenges in Haryana even after a significant rise in the sex ratio and gross enrollment ratio of girls in schools. The lack of policy implementation, the diversion of funds, and the failure of monitoring mechanisms are some of the reasons for the failure of the BBBPS. To achieve the objectives of the scheme, the government must ensure stricter enforcement of the policy guidelines and improve the monitoring mechanisms it employs. The challenges occur due to socio-cultural factors, governance, financial allocation, and implementation at the grassroots level. Some key challenges are:

1. Patriarchial mindset: Deep-rooted patriarchal norms and mindset, and societal resistance to gender equality pose challenges for the successful implementation of the scheme. In many rural areas of Haryana, there is a preference for male child over female child, and discrimination against girls remains prevalent, affecting the scheme’s objectives. Governments have undertaken many measures to improve the gender ratio but still the practice of female infanticide and foeticide remains rampant. Every policy contributes to improving the ratio but as the policies are not implemented properly and numbers are manipulated, it sets us back by many years. The long-term effects of a skewed gender ratio range from a lack of employment opportunities for women and health concerns to its impact on the overall development of the country. A drop in the number of women may lead to a decline in population, an increase in crimes against women, and an increase in human trafficking. Community engagement and awareness campaigns have not been sufficiently effective in changing these mindsets.
2. Ineffective Allocation and Release of Funds: There has been a shortfall in the proper allocation and utilization of funds, a shortfall of INR 77 crore was noticed from 2014-15 to 2017-18, with only a fraction of the allocated funds being utilized effectively. Overall, out of a total amount of Rs 43 crore that was set aside for BBBP in the fiscal year 2016-2017, only Rs 5 crore has been correctly utilized, according to the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development. The amount of money spent on this scheme in the current fiscal year is also less than one-tenth of the Rs 59.37 crore spent on BBBP in the previous fiscal year. Against the Rs 14.28 crore provided in the budget, Rs 8.08 crore was released by the government and only Rs 5.31 crore was spent from January 2015 to March 2016 in HaryanaReports indicate that between January 2015 to March 2016, INR 8 crores were released by the government out of which only INR 5.31 crores were spent. 19
3. Insufficient Monitoring and Lack of Meetings: The lack of regular meetings of task forces at both state and district levels has severely impacted the successful implementation of the scheme. The state government of Haryana was in charge of creating a state task force (STF) and district task force (DTF) to coordinate the implementation of various state-level schemes under the BBBPS. But, against the requirement of five meetings, only one STF meeting and three DTF ones were conducted in 2015-2016. Under the scheme, district authorities are required to effectively monitor and ensure that the use of sex-determination tools by families and doctors leads to stringent legal action against them. The guidelines of the scheme emphasize the importance of enforcing the PCPNDT Act at the national, state, and district levels. However, there were various gaps in implementation observed which directly diluted authorities’ monitoring capacity. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports highlighted that there was inadequate oversight of community-level activities as the monitoring mechanisms were ineffective. 20
4. Improper Expenditure Patterns: One of the main objectives of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was to improve healthcare and increase the education opportunities for women, the funds that were released by the government weren’t being appropriately used for achieving the said objectives but were used for media campaigns. As per the reports, around 43% of the expenditure was directed towards national media campaigns, while only about 5% was allocated for education-related interventions. This improper expenditure resulted in a lack of focus on achieving objectives such as improving girls’ education and health outcomes. BBBPS is a centrally sponsored scheme that provides 100% financial assistance to state governments to encourage girl child education. Haryana has 20 districts on the gender- critical district list. As per the guidelines, Rs 5 lakh was to be provided to each district to implement the scheme. The diversion of funds has been noted in various districts of Haryana. For example, in Panipat out of the Rs 5 lakh received by the district, three were spent on preparing a “Theme Gate” at the town’s entrance to mark the launching of the scheme. The expenditure has been categorized as ‘irregular’ and is tantamount to the diversion of funds. Similarly, an expenditure of Rs 21.24 lakh was incurred in 2015 by the Women and Child Development Department from funds provided by the scheme to purchase 1,800 laptop bags and 2,900 mugs. There was no provision in the scheme for these items. This was irregular as the financial benefits promised by other schemes were not supposed to be provided by the BBBPS funds. Thus, it was declared as a diversion of funds.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Proper expenditure of the allotted funds on improving Healthcare and Education: The funds that are being released by the government for the implementation of the scheme should be properly used. Instead of spending the funds on media campaigns, they should be used to make advanced and developed healthcare for girls more easily accessible improve the nutrition and reproductive health program, and enhance the educational infrastructure by providing scholarships. By reallocating the resources the scheme can achieve its objectives by improving the education and health of the girls. This will not only empower the girls but also ensure that the benefits of the scheme are being enjoyed by the ones who need it. Investing in education not only benefits the girl child but also contributes to the overall development of society by creating educated and healthy future generations that lead to economic participation and reduction of poverty and discrimination. 21
2. Empower District level Task Forces: The task forces should be led by women such as Anganwadi workers, local female frontline workers, or female health workers as this will allow them to identify and prioritize local needs effectively. Their work may be admired by other women and inspire them to take up such initiatives, thereby fostering a culture of empowerment. The task forces should be given the authority to plan the expenditure as this will allow the funds to be spent more properly because they will be aware of the problems of their area Local task forces can respond quickly to emerging issues or changing community dynamics. For example, if a particular area faces a spike in school dropouts, the task force can allocate resources to address this issue immediately. Involving community members in the planning process fosters a sense of ownership and accountability. When community members see their needs reflected in the planning, they are more likely to support and participate in the initiatives. The local task forces can establish monitoring and evaluating mechanisms to assess their work.
3. Enhance data collection and monitoring: Digital platforms should be used for real-time data collection on enrollment, attendance, and health indicators. This will help in making decisions timely and proper resource allocation. Regular audits should be conducted to assess the implementation of the scheme at various levels and to ensure compliance with guidelines and effective utilization of funds.
4. Increasing number of Female Teachers and provision for clean, functional Toilets: Appointing educated females as teachers will increase female enrollment in schools. It would help in bringing in gender parity in terms of staff as well as ease of communication and comfort for female pupils. According to a study by the National Council of Applied Economics Research, a major cause of high dropout among female students is because of unavailability of clean and functional toilets. Ensuring the availability of toilets on public properties such as schools would help boost the enrolment rate. 22
5. Incentivising PPP for executing community-level activities: Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other private sector organizations ought to be brought on board as long-term collaborators for carrying out community outreach initiatives. Local NGOs that are trusted by the community because of their longstanding presence and relationships can be very helpful implementation partners. Additionally, the district task force and the corporate sector partner might meet regularly to decide on monthly outreach, education, and health initiatives that must be carried out at the community level.

CONCLUSION:

The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao plan was a long-overdue effort to ensure females’ basic survival in an extremely prejudiced environment. However, despite its good intentions, it is already at risk of becoming a toothless policy, with its fundamental goal of reducing the child sex ratio (CSR) in some of the country’s poorest performing districts unmet due to insufficient execution. Furthermore, information from the early evaluation reveals that State and District level task groups have not even been able to meet regularly, let alone monitor the quantitative output targets outlined in the program. Most critically, money allocated for the initiative has been spent on national-level media campaigns rather than community-level actions to improve education and health outcomes.

To guarantee that the BBBP’s implementation is redirected in the proper direction, national, state, and district task groups must take overall responsibility for scheme implementation at each level and be held accountable for achievements and failures. Five major proposals for achieving these objectives are as follows:

• Increase planned expenditure allocation for education and health-related
• interventions.
• Ensure that district-level task forces are led by local female frontline workers.
• Ensure that on-the-ground implementation personnel are adequately trained in community outreach activities.
• Incentivize public-private partnerships for carrying out community-level activities.
• Require greater use of mobile technology for monitoring and documentation.

Both socially and economically sophisticated civilizations have a sex ratio that favors women, but for many South and Southeast Asian countries, this relationship has not been as obvious. Women only gain value and respect as moms of sons. Their happiness and social position in their married households are based on having boys. Women have internalized these roles and beliefs to the point where even when they claim that daughters take better care of their parents or are more emotionally devoted to their mothers, their words ring hollow since, despite their feelings, more males than daughters are desired. With some pressure from families, boys have become customers of the new technologies of ultrasonography, which enables them to select and bear boys. Female foeticide is rampant in Haryana, resulting in the country’s most disturbed sex ratio and a shortage of brides for bachelors of marriageable age. This situation has given rise to a new practice of trafficking females from other states for marriage, with only the women suffering in the end. Poverty, along with the inability to pay local grooms’ dowry demands and the internalization of patriarchal norms regarding women’s sexuality and marriage, forces both parents and daughters to accept such cross-region marital arrangements. People are frequently drawn to such marriages due to a lack of resources and employment opportunities. According to the studies, brides struggle to Integrate into conjugal families or communities. Given the current female shortfall in the region, women will continue to be needed for free labor while also being rejected due to traditionalism. Anti-female bias demonstrates the grip of traditional masculinist beliefs, to which mothers are not immune; what is required is women’s freedom of thought and willingness to question accepted values.

Authored by: TALAKOLA ANJANA REDDY 

Author’s Bio: 3rd year BA.LLB(Hons.) at ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad.

Co-Author: MOHAMMAD YAQZAN AJWAD

Co-Author’s Bio: 3rd year BA.LLB(Hons.) at ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad.