Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has said killing a girl child is anti-social act.
Inaugurating “Bangaru Thalli” scheme here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said change should begin at home. He questioned the parents as to who gave them the right to kill a girl child. Stressing the need for a radical change in the society, he said since the last 20 years, around one crore infant girls were done to death either before or after birth. He said that in between 2005 and 2011, a total of 70,000 girls had died. Female feticide is not a correct step, he told parents.
The CM said the Indiramma Amruta Hastam program was started to ensure nutritious food for pregnant women. He requested pregnant women to be careful about what they eat. He also said 60,000 children died for want of proper medical facilities. He also said 1,500 post-graduate doctors have been employed to provide medical aid to the children.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said 58% women in the State and his government was trying to introduce more welfare schemes for women, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Women Development and Child Welfare Sunita Lakshma Reddy said with the launching of “Bangaru Thalli” scheme, no parent would curse their fate for having a girl child hereafter. As the female population was dwindling rapid due to killing of girl-children and foeticides, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy conceived and introduced this scheme to put a stock to the killing of girl children, she said, adding that girl children would not only get scholarships during education, but also would get financial assistance from the government till they turned 21 years.
Stating that the Bangaru Thalli scheme was applicable only to white card-holders, Sunita said under the scheme, the government would pay Rs 2,500 immediately after birth of girl child, Rs 1,500 for five years, Rs 1,000 while being admitted to school, Rs 2,000 every year from Class I to X, for Intermediate Rs 3,000 and during degree Rs 4,000. She also said girls would be sanctioned Rs 50,000 for discontinuing education and Rs 1 lakh would be paid by the government if the girls completed graduation. (NSS)