National Girl Child Day, History, Importance, Theme, Schemes

National Girl Child Day is observed on 24 January every year, with an aim to spread awareness about the challenges faced by girls in Indian Society. The day highlights the prevailing problems of gender inequalities, stereotypes, discrimination and violence against girls in society. By celebrating this day, the government aims to empower girl childs and the message of importance of providing equal opportunities to girls in the education, nutrition and healthcare field. 

National Girl Child Day Objectives

The objective of celebrating National Girl Child Day is: 

1. The day was chosen to promote gender equality and address the challenges associated with gender stereotypes related to girls. 
2. The goal is to spread the knowledge and awareness about girl education and empower girls with the chance to realise their own potential. 
3. Focus is also on protecting girl’s rights and safeguarding them against malnutrition, gender violence and early child marriages. 

National Girl Child History 

National Girl Child Day was implemented for the first time by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008 also marks the launch date of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao by the Prime Minister on 22 January 2015. The National Girl Child Day initiative is taken up by three ministries including Ministry of Women and child development ,Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Education. The goal is to focus on the issue of declining child sex ratio. 

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National Girl Child Day Importance

National Girl Child Day is significant due to the following reasons: 

• Enhanced Awareness: Efforts to raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education, empowerment, and safety have led to positive outcomes such as a rise in female employment, reduced school dropout rates among girls, and an improving sex ratio.
• Improved Education Access: More girls now have access to education, with increasing participation in higher education contributing to higher literacy rates among females.
• Reduction in Child Marriages: Legal measures and awareness campaigns have significantly reduced the prevalence of child marriages, ensuring better opportunities for girls.
• Empowerment and Independence: Girls are increasingly empowered to chase their dreams, make informed decisions, and actively contribute to societal growth.

Schemes for the Girl Child in India

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

• Launch Date: January 22, 2015, by the Prime Minister.
• Objective: Address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and promote women’s empowerment.
• Implementation by:
  • Ministry of Women and Child Development (MW&CD)
  • Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MH&FW)
  • Ministry of Education

Main Objectives:

1. Prevent gender-biased sex-selective elimination.
2. Ensure the survival, protection, and education of the girl child.
3. Promote her participation and safeguard her rights.

Key Interventions:

1. Guddi-Gudda Boards: Display gender-wise birth statistics to promote awareness (e.g., Jalgaon district, Maharashtra).
2. Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Celebrate the girl child through initiatives like plantation drives, special days, and campaigns like Selfie with Daughters (e.g., Jind district, Haryana).

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

Launched as part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, this is a small deposit scheme for girl children with the following benefits:

Benefits:

• Attractive Interest Rate: 8.40% per annum (as of October 2019).
• Triple Tax Benefits:
  • No tax on deposits, interest earned, or maturity withdrawals under Section 80C of the IT Act.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Who Can Apply: Parents or guardians of up to two daughters aged below 10.
• Exceptions for twins or triplets from the second birth.
• Account Limit: One account per girl child.

Deposit Details:

• Minimum deposit: Rs. 250; further deposits in multiples of Rs. 150.
• Maximum annual deposit: Rs. 1,50,000.

Account Maturity:

• Tenure: 15 years from the account’s opening date.
• Closure: At 21 years or upon the girl’s marriage (whichever is earlier).

This holistic initiative ensures financial security and educational opportunities for girls while promoting societal awareness of their rights and importance.