New Delhi, January 22, 2015: The Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, has announced the setting up of ‘Haryana Kanya Kosh’ to provide financial assistance on the birth of the first girl child in a family. The ambit of the Ladli Scheme has been widened to extend the benefit of such assistance to the first girl child also. Besides, daughters born in
poor and Scheduled Caste families would get the assistance.
Presently, financial assistance under the Ladli Scheme is given to only the second girl child. A sum of Rs 21,000 would be deposited in the bank on the birth of the girl child. This amount would increase to Rs one lakh when the girl attains the age of 18 years.
He was speaking at the launch of the national programme ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ in Panipat, today. The ambitious national programme has been launched by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for the safety and education of the girl child.
Expressing his concern over the literacy rate of women, he said that women’s literacy rate in Haryana was 65.4 per cent. Sincere efforts would be made to bring about significant improvement in it. Girls would be provided scholarships on the basis of the merit and capabilities.
Concerned about the problem of malnutrition among mothers and children, the Chief Minister said, “We would review the previous Nutrition Policy and draft a new State Nutrition Mission on the pattern of the National Health Mission.” The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Haryana is 41 per cent and all-out efforts would be made to reduce it. This target could be easily achieved if the region is declared as Empowered Action Group.
The Chief Minister said that during the Assembly elections, the Prime Minister addressed ten rallies in Haryana. Inspired by his vision, the people of the state brought a political change in the state. The Central Government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has initiated many new schemes such as Swach Bharat Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Make in India, Smart City and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Several steps have been taken in the direction of transparent governance, minimum government maximum governance, and putting in place corruption-free administration. “Make in Haryana is our agenda patterned on Make in India. Haryana has achieved hundred per cent target under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. The Vidhayak Adarsh Gram Yojana and Adhikari Adarsh Gram Yojana are being implemented in the state by emulating the Central Government’s Sansad Gram Yojana”, Manohar Lal said.
The state government is committed to the Swach Bharat Swach Haryana Abhiyan, and toilets, especially for girls, would be constructed in all schools under this Abhiyan. The Chief Minister said that by 2016, all schools would be equipped with desks and chairs to ensure that no child sat on the floor to get education. /(SK Vyas/Jalandhar)
Date:
Thursday, January 22, 2015