Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme - Benefits, Objective, Eligibility and More

Since India’s independence, our social system has focussed on bettering the position of women in the society. The Government of India has brought out various schemes to support this effort – the most crucial of them being the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme. Raising a female child has always been viewed as an unwanted responsibility in India. Even though many households are glad to have a girl child, many areas are still under the spell of sons being better. It is the perception of rural India, which is a big part of the country that having a girl child means being overloaded with responsibilities. Responsibilities of getting them married, responsibility of raising a child that will one day leave them to make her own family. These are the reasons why many communities believe that the education of a girl child is a waste of money and time. This is a corrupted thought and only leads to societies being crumbled by their own wrongdoings.

Education is not only about being literate; it is also about being enlightened with the knowledge that one needs to survive in the world. Knowledge is what teaches us to differentiate right from wrong. Being oppressed is one of the backlashes of not having knowledge. Which is why, many oppressed or unfairly treated women in rural India give in to the societal norms, succumbing to things like ‘fate of women’. All of these toxic traits are being left behind today because of the change in socio-economic situations.

However, many families are still held back when it comes to educating their daughters. This is because of their financial situations and inability to support their educational expenses beyond preschool. The current government has fortunately lent out a helping hand for the parents of girls that require financial support for education. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme benefits the girl child and her parents. Let’s get to know in-depth about the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme and its advantages.

What is the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme?

On 22nd January, 2015 in Panipat, Haryana, the Government launched this ambitious programme under the name of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. The programme has been initiated to operate under the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Human Resources Development, and Health and Family Welfare Department.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was initiated by the Indian government in response to the deteriorating sex ratio in the country. In 2011, the sex ratio of the country was 918 girls on 1000 boys. So, the government had to bring up the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana (save daughters educate daughters) to provide benefits to the female population of the country. The scheme has created a solo department to make female welfare and education accessible all around the country.

With that in mind, the beti bachao beti padhao scheme aims to make survival, safety and educational benefits accessible to all girl children. The scheme also spreads awareness celebrating the girl child and aims to fight off the stigma around women and the gender bias they face in many sectors. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana has benefits of inclusiveness that have been missing for the women of this country. The gender bias as we speak of now slowly having its stereotypes broken beginning with how Delhi-NCR is improving the poor, street kids lifestyles with urban slums ~ view how.

What are the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao objectives?

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana has its own ministry now that gives the scheme its own advantages. While the discrimination faced by women is deep seeded in the society, the ministry aims to tackle the lack of inclusivity for women. By increasing awareness for the advantages of women's education and wellness, the beti bachao beti padhao scheme benefits the women in rural areas. The most benefited women are those who are born into low-income families and cannot afford proper healthcare or education.

The primary cause of implementing the scheme, however, is to reduce the child sex ratio (CSR). Which has a wide gap in India and leads to lower women population against the male population. The scheme aims to improve the growth of women empowerment while removing gender-based discrimination and safeguarding the girl child.

What are the eligibility criteria to get Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme benefits?

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana benefits can be secured by candidates eligible for the scheme. Here are the requirements of applying for the scheme:

● The girl child for whom the scheme is being taken shall be a citizen of India.

● The applicant family’s girl child shall not be more than 10 years of age at the time of application.

● The girl child applicant shall have a functioning Sukanya Samriddhi account in any authorised private or government run financial organisation. The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is also a part of the BBBP Scheme, which allows parents to open up a savings account for their girl child with 7.6 per cent interest rate. It can then be transferred to the daughter once she is 10 years of age.

● NRIs and their daughters will not be eligible for the scheme.

● The complete set of documents need to be submitted while applying.

What are the main benefits of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme?

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana has several advantages that benefit the future of a girl child. Here are some of the most important benefits of the scheme:

Financial and Social Independence

The scheme can be opened for all girl children of the family who are below 10 years of age. This scheme allows the girl child to be financially independent in the future. Financial independence also gives the girls social independence from having to take help from anyone known or unknown. Under the same scheme, the government has also unveiled the Sukanya Samriddhi Account which has a higher interest rate on savings than other banks. The girl child is allowed to use the money as she pleases after she comes of age.

Bringing Girl Child Rights into Focus

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme benefits the women by bringing into focus their human rights and their rights to education and choice of marriage. It is the best way to bring up the status of girls’ education, which in other cases remains limited. Most girls in rural and suburban India never get the chance to study beyond primary school. This limitation in knowledge also keeps them behind on knowledge about their own health and the right time to conceive or marry. With socially enlightened parents that save for their daughter’s future, the girl child will have no social pressure of leaving studies or getting married at a young age.

Tax Exemption

The best part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme is its tax benefits. The Sukanya Samriddhi Account, opened under the same scheme, is exempted under the Act 1961 u/s 80C. Which means that the parents can save for the future of their girl child without having to worry about tax cuts on the money. This will remove the societal view of girl children as a financial burden, which disgraces the values of a country where goddesses like Durga and Laxmi are worshiped.

Balancing Child Sex Ratio

The most important issue that the scheme means to tackle is balancing the child sex ratio. The evil side of the country is gender determination before birth and killing of girl children in rural areas. The government aims to remove this social evil root and stem by improving the survival rates of girl children. With the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, no girl child shall be seen as a burden anymore and the mothers can take responsibility for the child with a small amount of ₹250 per month. This will bring up the girl population and empower women to have a choice and chance in life.

How to apply for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme?

It is fairly easy to apply for the scheme for a girl child’s parents. Here’s how to make an offline application for the scheme:

Step 1 The applicant’s family or parents shall visit a financial institution approved by the beti bachao bati department, the benefits can be taken from a government bank or post office.

Step 2 Then the applicant must request a respective form to apply for the scheme or simply open a Sukanya Samriddhi Account in which the scheme can be linked.

Step 3 Submit the form along with the necessary documents to the authorised officer of the institution.

Once the documents and application form are verified, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana benefits will be transferred to the girl child’s account.

With the advantage of the internet and fast-growing connections around the country, all levels of the country are realising the importance of education. The women even in rural India are now rising to the occasion and standing for their rights to education and literacy. The public today understands the value of educating the girl child and their capability of taking over regular day jobs. Beti bachao beti padhao scheme and its benefits to the girls of the country are a necessary step for all young daughters.

FAQs

What are the documents required for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme?

The main documents required for the application are:

● Aadhar card

● Birth certificate of the girl child

● Parents’ ID proof

● Address proof - voter ID, electricity bill, driving license, passport, etc.

What is the minimum and maximum deposit allowed under the scheme?

The minimum deposit for the scheme is of ₹250 and the maximum one can deposit is ₹1.5 Lakhs. Also, missing the deposit of minimum amount for a year will result in ₹50 penalty.