Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) is a major initiative launched by the Government of India on January 22, 2015, with the vision of addressing deep-rooted gender biases and improving the welfare and status of the girl child in Indian society. It aims to ensure that girls are not only born but also nurtured, educated, and empowered to live with dignity.

The scheme is a joint initiative of three ministries:

• Ministry of Women and Child Development
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of Education

Objective of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Initiative

The main objectives of the BBBP initiative are:

• To prevent sex-selective elimination that is gender-biased.
• To protect the girl child and give her an equal chance of survival.
• To confirm education and participation of the girl child.

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Initiative Implementation

• In the first phase,  100 districts have been identified as per the Census of 2011 having low Child Sex Ratio with the aim to cover at least one district in each State. The criteria for selection are:
  • Districts below the national average.
  • Districts showing declining trends but above the national average.
  • Districts showing an increasing trend and above the national average are selected so that the CSR can be maintained and other districts can emulate and learn from their experiences.
• In the second phase, further addition of 61 districts from 11 States/UT’s having CSR below 918 has been covered.
• In March 2018, this initiative was extended to 640 districts, which is Pan India expansion.

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Initiative Constituents

Media Campaign and Advocacy on BBBP
 

A nationwide campaign was launched for celebrating the Girl Child under this initiative. This campaign is also to enable the education of Girl Child. The campaign was directed towards abolishing the discrimination against girl child and provide an equal opportunity to be born, nurtured, and educated. A complete media approach is being adopted to create awareness and disseminate information about the issue across the nation.
 

Multi-Sectoral Intervention in selected Districts worse on CSR

The multi-sectoral action in selected 405 districts (inclusive of existing 161) covering all States/UTs will concentrate on sectoral actions and schematic intervention in dialogue with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development.
 

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Initiative Administration

The central government will provide 100% assistance for implementing the BBBP initiative to the District Collectors. For the administration and budgetary control of this initiative in the Central Government, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, will be responsible.

For the State, the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development will be responsible for the overall direction and implementation of the initiative. The nodal officer for the implementation of the initiative will be the DPO (District Probation Officer). The implementation of the initiative will be through the ‘Integrated Child Development Services’ platform at various levels in convergence with the Education, Health and Panchayati Raj Ministry.

Strategies of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Initiative

• To create equal value for the girl child and promote her education through the implementation of sustained Social Mobilization and Communication Campaign
• Present the issue of decline in CSR/SRB (Sex Ratio at Birth) in public discourse, improvement of this will be an indicator of good governance
• Intensive and integrated action focusing on Gender Critical Districts and Cities low on CSR
• Implement innovative interventions/actions by the districts as per their local needs, sensibilities and context 
• Train Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Grassroot workers/Urban local bodies as catalysts for social change in association with local community/youth groups/women
• Associate with communities to challenge social norms and gender stereotypes
• Ensure service delivery structures/initiatives and programmes are adequately responsive to issues of gender and children’s rights.
• Warrant inter-sectoral and inter-institutional convergence at various levels

Achievements and Success Stories

Improvements in CSR:

• Haryana: From 871 in 2014 to 926 in 2019 due to aggressive local-level campaigns and consistent monitoring.
• Rajasthan and Punjab: Witnessed 20–30 point improvements in CSR through focused awareness and enforcement measures.

Other Notable Achievements:

• Increased Institutional Deliveries: Especially in rural areas through promotion of healthcare access.
• Higher Enrollment Rates of Girls in Schools: Especially in secondary and senior secondary levels.
• Enhanced Community Participation: Panchayats, schools, and local leaders proactively celebrating the birth of girls.
• Media Sensitization: Major shift in how girl children are portrayed in mainstream and digital media.
• Recognition and Replication: Several districts awarded for best practices and models being replicated across states.
• Digital Initiatives: District dashboards tracking CSR, online grievance redressal systems, and e-learning tools for awareness.

These achievements indicate a positive shift in societal attitudes and demonstrate the effectiveness of the convergence approach adopted by BBBP.

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Conclusion

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme is not just a government program—it’s a movement towards an inclusive and gender-equal India. The progress made so far is encouraging, but sustained effort from every section of society is essential. Girls are not only the pride of families but also the architects of a brighter future.