Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the campaign at Panipat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today recalled the nationally televised rescue of a young boy who had fallen into a well in Haryana eight years ago, to ask why the country does not show equal concern about girl children being killed.
"We are not worthy of being called citizens of the 21st century, but of the 18th century, when just after a girl's birth she was killed. We are worse now, as we don't even allow the girl to be born," he said in a powerful speech, also reading out a pledge as he launched a campaign against female foeticide and infanticide called 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' (save the girl child and educate her), from Panipat not far from the capital.
The campaign is an effort to reverse the skewed gender ratio in the country.
"In nearby Kurukshetra, a boy called Prince fell into a well and the whole nation watched on TV if the army had saved him. For one Prince people got united to pray for his well-being, but with so many girls killed we don't react, what has happened to our sensibilities," the PM asked, exhorting people to treat boys and girls equally.
He also said, "People want educated daughters-in-law but think several times before educating their daughters. How can this go on?"
Panipat is in Haryana. The prime minister has launched the nationwide campaign from the state as it has the worst gender ratio - the number of females per 1,000 males - in the country. Of the 100 districts with the worst gender ratio in India where the campaign is being initiated, Haryana has 12.
The campaign will sensitize people about the safety and education of the girl child, the skewed sex ratio in India, prevention of female foeticide and women empowerment.
Under the 'Beti Bachao Beti Phadao' program launched today, the government plans to give cash incentives to villages which show improvement in the gender ratio. Officials will also get cash awards based on their respective performances.
PM Modi also launched the 'Sukanya Samridhi Yojana' which allows parents or gurdians to open a special saving account for a girl child with a high tax free interest rate.
"In India if a 1,000 boys are born, then a 1,000 girls should be born, otherwise there will be no future. If 1,000 boys and only 850 girls are born, it means 250 boys will remain bachelors," he said.
The campaign's brand ambassador actress Madhuri Dixit, a number of union ministers and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar shared stage with the Prime Minister.