10 Years of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

Syllabus: GS2/ Welfare Schemes

In Context

• Marking the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) movement and the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), India celebrates a decade of transformative initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality, empowering the girl child, and improving the Child Sex Ratio (CSR).
  • The celebrations, spanning from 22nd January 2025 to 8th March 2025 (International Women’s Day), include the launch of the Mission Vatsalya Portal (for child welfare) and the Mission Shakti Portal (for women’s empowerment and safety).

About Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP)

• Genesis: Launched on 22nd January 2015 in Haryana, in response to the dismal CSR of 918 girls per 1,000 boys (2011 Census) caused by societal norms favoring male children.
• Objectives: Improve the Child Sex Ratio (CSR).
  • Promote gender equality and women empowerment.
  • Prevent gender-biased, sex-selective elimination.
  • Ensure survival and protection of the girl child.
  • Encourage the education and participation of girls.
• Implementation: Executed by states with 100% Central Assistance.
  • No provision for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Ministries Involved: Women and Child Development.
  • Health and Family Welfare.
  • Education (formerly Human Resource Development).

About Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

• Launched as Part of BBBP: Aimed at securing the financial future of girl children by encouraging families to invest in their education and welfare through tax-saving, high-return savings accounts.
• Eligibility: Families with a girl child below 10 years.
  • A Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) must be opened in the girl’s name.
  • Only resident Indians are eligible; Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are excluded.

Achievements Over the Decade

• Improved Child Sex Ratio (CSR): Awareness campaigns and the enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 helped increase CSR.
  • CSR at birth rose from 918 (2014-15) to 933 (2022-23).
• Increased Female Enrollment in Schools: Free and subsidized education, improved infrastructure (e.g., toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission), and scholarships like SSY reduced dropout rates.
  • Programs like Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas significantly boosted enrollment in primary and secondary schools.
• Women Entrepreneurs and Policy Synergy: The Women’s Welfare Budget grew over 200%, from ₹0.97 lakh crore (FY 2014) to ₹3.10 lakh crore (FY 2025).
  • 2.3 crore MSMEs are now led by women.
  • Under PM Mudra Yojana, 70% of loans are availed by women.
  • Initiatives like Jan Dhan Yojana (banking access for 30 crore women) and Lakhpati Didi (helping 1 crore women earn ₹1 lakh+ annually) empowered women economically.
• Empowering Women Through Awareness: Campaigns like Selfie with Daughter and National Girl Child Day inspired participation from all sections of society.
  • Panchayati Raj institutions and grassroots organizations celebrated the birth of girl children and trained workers to combat gender stereotypes.

Challenges

1. Deep-Rooted Patriarchy: Societal norms continue to favor male children, creating a persistent challenge for gender equality.
2. Implementation Gaps: Uneven implementation of BBBP across districts highlights the need for stronger governance and monitoring.
3. Resource Allocation: Excessive focus on awareness campaigns led to insufficient allocation for education, healthcare, and welfare schemes.

Recent Developments

• New Portals:
  • Mission Vatsalya: Focuses on child welfare and protection.
  • Mission Shakti: Aims to enhance women’s safety and empowerment.
• Growth in the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana:
  • More families have adopted SSY as a financial tool to prioritize girls’ education and secure their futures.

Road Ahead

• Strengthening Grassroots Programs: Expand community-driven initiatives to reach remote areas and address regional disparities.
• Enhancing Education Infrastructure: Focus on secondary and higher education, including improved scholarships and facilities for girls.
• Combating Violence Against Women: Integrate BBBP with existing schemes addressing domestic violence, sexual harassment, and trafficking.
• Holistic Resource Allocation: Balance funding across awareness campaigns, education, and healthcare to ensure long-term impact.
• Innovative Financial Support: Enhance SSY by integrating it with digital platforms for easier access and tracking.

Source: TH