Prime Minister extends Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan
Highlights
- PM Modi expands Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme in Rajasthan
- PM Modi launches National Nutrition Mission in Jhunjhunu
- On International Women's Day PM Modi remembers Kunwar Bai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent some quality time with children in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district on Thursday, to extend his government's
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme on International Women's day. Mr Modi interacted with little girls in colourfull frocks. He launched the National Nutrition Mission, which strives to reduce malnutrition and low birth weight.
Recently, Jhunjhunu turned a new leaf after being one of the best performers in
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme. From having the worst sex ratio at birth, Jhunjhunu has closed the gender gap - in 2011, the ratio was 837 girls per 1,000 boys but now in seven years, the sex ratio is 955 girls per 1,000 boys.
On International Women's Day, the Prime Minister also remembered Kunwar Bai, who was the mascot of the government's
'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. A social activist from Chhattisgarh, Kunwar Bai died in 2016, at the age of 106. It was during a visit to Chhattisgarh that the Prime Minister met Kunwar Bai.
"I will always cherish the time when I had the opportunity to seek Kunwar Bai's blessings during one of my visits to Chhattisgarh," tweeted Prime Minister Modi today.Kunwar Bai shot into limelight when the story of how she sold her goats, to build a toilet at home, grabbed headlines. Inspired by Prime Minister Modi's flagship cleanliness drive, soon after he was elected with a huge mandate in 2014, Kunwar Bai sold off ten of her goats, her only livestock assets, to raise Rs 22,000. She used that money to build toilets at her house, in remote Kotabharri village in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh.
Prime Minister Modi in his tweet said, "Kunwar Bai lives on in the hearts and minds of all those who are passionate towards fulfilling Bapu's dream of a clean India".Mr Modi also shared a video where he felicitated Kunwar Bai at a function to mark
'Swachhta Diwas', and also touched her feet during a rally in Rajnandgaon.