The implementation of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme in Arunachal Pradesh has led to an improvement in the sex ratio, with 14 out of 25 districts recording over 900 females per 1,000 males in 2023-24, Women & Child Development (WCD) Minister Dasanglu Pul said on Monday.
Speaking at a ‘Beti Janmotsav’ event in Lower Dibang Valley district to mark the scheme’s 10th anniversary, Pul stated that the state’s sex ratio has reached 948.68 females per 1,000 males, surpassing the national average of 930. She highlighted that five districts—Shi-Yomi, East Kameng, Kamle, Upper Siang, and Tawang—recorded sex ratios above 1,000 in 2023-24.
Pul also noted a decline in the dropout rate among girls at the secondary and higher secondary levels, which fell from 30.89 percent in 2019-20 to 12.5 percent in 2021-22. Additionally, first-trimester Antenatal Care (ANC) registration, crucial for maternal health, has significantly improved.
The minister urged women to utilize government schemes for their empowerment and emphasized the need for greater awareness of girl child trafficking and parental support for their safety. She also outlined key government decisions on child adoption, prioritizing intra-district and intra-state adoption, creating contractual posts for child and women helplines, and allocating funds for CDPO quarters and working women’s hostels.
MLA Mutchu Mithi commended the achievements of women across various sectors and underscored their role in shaping society. He also called for discussions on polygamy, stating that the practice undermines women’s self-respect.
MLA Puinnyo Apum spoke about various government schemes for women’s welfare and encouraged them to avail of the benefits.
Other speakers included WCD Joint Secretary Sangeeta Yirang, Lower Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner Soumya Saurabh, and Mission Shakti state nodal officer Bahe Koyu.
Child Welfare Committee member Rema Mito and Nani Maria Society chairperson Desai Linggi shared the success story of CCI Roing.
Superintendent of Police Ringu Ngupok, other officials, anganwadi workers, and students attended the event, which concluded with a BBBP pledge, a cake-cutting ceremony, and the distribution of gifts to newborn girls and children under institutional care.
