New Delhi: With the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative completing 10 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said it has been instrumental in overcoming gender biases and at the same created the right environment to ensure that the girl child has access to education and opportunities to achieve her dreams.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) was launched by the prime minister on January 22, 2015 at Panipat, Haryana. BBBP addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum.
“Today we mark 10 years of the #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao movement. Over the past decade, it has become a transformative, people-powered initiative and has drawn participation from people across all walks of life,” Modi said.
“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has been instrumental in overcoming gender biases and at the same time it has created the right environment to ensure that the girl child has access to education and opportunities to achieve her dreams,” he wrote.
“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the people and various community service organizations, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has achieved remarkable milestones. Districts with historically low child sex ratios have reported significant improvements and awareness campaigns have instilled a deeper sense of the importance of gender equality,” PM Modi’s X post read.
“I compliment all stakeholders who have made this movement vibrant at the grassroots level. Let us continue to protect the rights of our daughters, ensure their education and create a society where they can thrive without any discrimination,” he wrote.
“Together, we can ensure that the coming years bring even greater progress and opportunity for India’s daughters,” the Prime Minister added.
Launched on January 22, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Haryana’s Panipat, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative was created to address the critical issues of gender imbalance and declining child sex ratio.
Over the years, the initiative has driven significant progress.
The national sex ratio at birth improved from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24, and the gross enrolment ratio of girls at the secondary level rose from 75.51 percent to 78 percent during the same period.
Institutional deliveries rose from 61 percent to 97.3 percent, and first-trimester antenatal care registrations surged from 61 percent to 80.5 percent, reflecting the program’s far-reaching impact.
The scheme has gone beyond numbers to drive cultural and social change.
The government will organize weeks-long celebrations to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative, the Union Women and Child Development Ministry said on Tuesday.
Beginning on Wednesday, the celebrations will continue till March 8, observed as International Women’s Day.
The inaugural event in Delhi on Wednesday will feature Union ministers JP Nadda, Annapurna Devi, and Savitri Thakur, alongside senior women officers from the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and the Delhi Police.
Officials from central ministries, Anganwadi workers, student volunteers, and representatives from international organizations such as UNICEF, UN Women, and the World Bank will also participate.
The occasion marks the beginning of nationwide celebrations reflecting the scheme’s transformative impact over the past decade, according to a ministry statement.
The celebrations will include events at the state and district levels.
