‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’: J&K ranks at bottom in implementing flagship scheme

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has failed to make any progress under the Centre’s flagship ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ (BBBP) scheme.

The administration has utilized only 50 percent of funds under the scheme for multi-sectoral intervention at the district level.

BBBP is a flagship scheme of the Government of India that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls in India. The scheme was launched in 2015 with initial funding of Rs 100 crore.

The Centre has released Rs 2050.74 crore for Jammu and Kashmir under the scheme since 2015 and the government utilized only Rs 904.89 crore so far.

As per the documents, Rs 216.15 crore were released under the scheme in 2015 out of which the government utilized only Rs 141.10crore.

In 2016, the government showed the progress of only 59 percent for the welfare of girls in Jammu and Kashmir under this scheme. Out of Rs 88 crore, J&K spent only Rs 52.29. Likewise, Rs 298.62 crore was released by the Centre in 2017 out of which the J&K government spent Rs 234.43 crore.

Jammu and Kashmir government performed badly in 2018 when only Rs 192.67 crore were utilized out of Rs 422.90 crore under this scheme.

In 2019, the government utilized Rs 284.40 crore out of Rs 552.67 crore under this scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.

This year, the Centre released Rs 472.40 crore under this scheme for Jammu and Kashmir under BBBP.

The scheme has been poorly implemented despite that fact that sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir has increased from 936 in 2015 to 942 in 2019.

Sources told The Kashmir Monitor that the scheme faced many administrative hitches in the implementation.

“Some of the districts could implement the scheme successfully, while others failed. The government is now completely shifting focus on the scheme to benefit the girl child in the union territory,” they said.

Officials meanwhile said the government is ‘keenly’ following the implementation of the scheme at district level by holding multiple programmes focused on welfare, education, and development of girls.