Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: The Centre has spent a total of Rs 351.55 crores on media campaign for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme which was 63.3 per cent of the total expenditure of Rs 555.27 crores from the financial year 2016-17 to 2019-20. "In the initial phase, the emphasis has been on media and advocacy for sustained focus on awareness generation and bringing an attitudinal shift in society towards valuing the girl child," Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani informed the Rajya Sabha on December 7.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government on January 22, 2015. As per the data shared by the minister, Rs 135.92 crores of the total expenditure in the financial year 2017-18 and Rs 164.04 crores in 2018-19 was spent for media advocacy campaigns, the highest since the scheme was introduced. Meanwhile from 2019, the expenditure on media/ advocacy campaigns started reducing, while Rs 25.75 crores spent in 2019-20, the government did not spend any money on media campaigns from 2021-22 to 2022-23. ALSO READ | Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Emphasises On Girls' Education To Check Population Growth
From financial year 2014-15 to 2022-23, out of Rs 1,270 crores spent for the scheme, a total of Rs 401.04 crores spent for the media/ advocacy campaign and Rs 373.21 crores used for multi sectoral programmes, the data mentioned. According to the minister, "the all India advertisements of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao have successfully been able to establish the brand which has an excellent recall value."
Now, the government is focusing on expanding the scheme to all the districts through multi-sectoral interventions with focus on zero-budget advertising. "For better implementation and monitoring of the scheme, funds for Multi Sectoral Intervention are being released through the State/UT Government for activities at district level," Ms Irani stated.
The ministry has also developed a thematic calendar for suggested convergence activities at district level with month wise specific themes for holistic development of the girl child, she said.