Beti Bachao scheme | Panel wants Centre to focus on planned expenditure allocation

Over 78% of funds under the government's flagship scheme spent on media campaigns, says parliamentary panel

More than 78 per cent of total ₹446.72 crore released during 2016-2019 for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was spent only on media advocacy, a parliamentary panel has said, suggesting that the government should reconsider spending on advertisements.

The parliamentary standing committee said the government should instead focus on planned expenditure allocation for sectoral interventions in education and health under the government's flagship scheme.

The Sixth Report of the Committee on Empowerment of Women (2021-22) on the action taken on the subject "Empowerment of Women through Education with Special Reference to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme", was presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, August 4, 2022.

The panel said over the last six years, through focused advocacy BBBP has been able to capture the attention of political leadership and national consciousness towards valuing the girl child.

"Now, it is time to focus on other verticals by making ample financial provisions to help achieve measurable outcomes related to education and health envisaged under the scheme," it said.

Calling it one of the most important schemes of the government to improve child sex ratio in backward regions and ensure education of the girl child, the committee recommended that the government should, hereafter, reconsider spending on advertisements under the scheme and focus on planned expenditure allocation for sectoral interventions in education and health.

The committee said according to the scheme's guidelines, regular or quarterly meetings are to be conducted to review the progress at the district level.