Beti Bachao Beti Padhao evolves into national movement, government tells Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The Union government said the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme had grown into a national movement through sustained public participation and institutional support.

Replying in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Annpurna Devi said the programme was launched on January 22, 2015. Its objective was to address the child sex ratio and strengthen empowerment of girls across their life cycle.

Over time, she said, the initiative expanded beyond a policy framework. Instead, it mobilised government agencies, civil society groups, media organisations, and citizens across the country.

Meanwhile, the minister referred to a third-party evaluation conducted by NITI Aayog. The study reviewed schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development between 2019 and 2024.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao linked to improvements in key indicators

According to the evaluation, the SAMBAL vertical of Mission Shakti addressed gender challenges through coordinated and data-driven delivery. The assessment combined field research with secondary data analysis.

Health indicators showed steady progress. As per Health Management Information System data, the national sex ratio at birth rose from 918 in 2014–15 to 929 in 2024–25.

Similarly, education outcomes improved. Ministry of Education data showed that girls’ gross enrolment at the secondary level increased from 75.51% to 80.2% during the same period.

Taken together, the minister said these trends reflected the impact of sustained interventions. Therefore, the government would continue strengthening convergence-based approaches to promote gender equity.