BHOPAL: The state government is running a slew of schemes for the welfare and protection of girl child. These include Ladli Laxmi Yojana, Beti Bachao Abhiyan, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyan, Lado Abhiyan, Pratibha Kiran Yojana etc.
But they do not seem to have changed the situation at the ground level. The mortality rates and literacy, health and sanitation levels of the girl child and adolescent girls remain unchanged.
In 2015, around 4400 rape cases were reported from Madhya Pradesh. In these cases, as many as 2267 victims were below 18 years of age. Around 3590 cases of kidnapping of girls below 18 years were reported in the same year according to NCRB 2015 Report. At 48, the Infant Mortality Rate of girls in the state is the second highest after Bihar, says the SRS survey report of 2015. NFHS 4 reports that 30 per cent girls in Madhya Pradesh are married before they attain 18 years of age and in terms of literacy in Madhya Pradesh only 59.4 per cent women are literate.
In a survey conducted by Action Aid on Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao it was found that out of the 100 districts surveyed, Gwalior recorded the highest decline of 11.8 per cent, in the number of separate toilets for girls in school. Anamika Roy, coordinator Action Aid, said, “It is not certain whether Madhya Pradesh performed the worst in Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao because the survey has been conducted in 100 selected districts all over the country and not state-wise. But the data pertaining to Madhya Pradesh is not very encouraging.
According to Shibani Ghosh, who runs a school for slum children, her school has 80 per cent of girls students.
She said, “Initially, parents were reluctant to send their girls to school but now they do. But it was only when we talked to the parents personally that they agreed to send their girls to school. The schemes which are running in state are not really reaching the girls and also most of the schemes are not being implemented well at ground level”
“We conduct impact surveys through private agencies and these surveys are used to judge the impact but right now I cannot provide you with any report because it office hours are over, said Jayshree Kiyawat, Commissioner, Woman and Child Development department.
