haryana-women-sarpanches-to-be-beti-bachao-ambassadors

Women sarpanches in Haryana will be appointed as brand ambassadors of their respective villages, announced Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday.

 

The move comes as part of the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign with the motive to ensure the state's active participation in the drive, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

 

He said the steps taken by the present state government under the campaign to improve the sex ratio are being widely appreciated across the country. 

 

Saini presided over the review meeting of the women and child development department here, said an official statement.

 

He said 10,000 Anganwadi Centres in the state will be developed as 'Saksham Anganwadi Centres' in the next five years.

 

A grant of ₹563 lakh has been received from the government of India for upgrading 563 Anganwadi Centres to the Saksham Anganwadi. The department has also submitted another proposal for the upgradation of 2,307 Anganwadi Centres to the government of India, Saini said.

 

He emphasised that, in addition to raising awareness among the public, the provisions of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act, 1994 should be strictly enforced.

 

He directed the organisation of 'Nukkad Nataks' and other programmes in villages to encourage people to save the girl child. Saini also proposed that all women in the village should be invited to these programmes, which would be addressed by the eldest women of the community.

 

While expressing concern over the use of handheld machines for sex determination, the CM directed the preparation of an effective strategy to track those involved in this illegal practice and take stringent action against them.

 

To curb female foeticide and ensure compliance with the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, Haryana has adopted strict enforcement measures. A total of 1,220 FIRs have been registered under the Act from 2015 to 2024.

 

Additionally, 386 FIRs have been registered through inter-state raids, and 4,000 arrests have been made targeting illegal practices by doctors, quacks, and touts.