Context:

• Prime Minister inaugurated the expanded “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. He also launched the National Nutrition Mission, aimed at improving nutrition levels of women and children and reducing low birth weight by 2% each year.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao:

• The “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme, implemented as the Union government’s social campaign to create awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls, was expanded from the existing 161 to 640 districts of the country.

Change in mindset:

• people should change their mindset towards the girl child in order to bring equality between men and women. He said mothers-in-law should take the lead to protect the girl child and stop the practice of female foeticide, which was a matter of “deep shame.”
• “Let us resolve that there will be the same number of girls born as the number of boys. Both of them are equal,”
• While affirming that gender imbalance had been created in the society because of the mistakes committed by several generations. This needed to be corrected by the younger generation.

“Indradhanush” immunisation programme:

• The Prime Minister also highlighted the significance of proper nutrition among children and described the changes in the lives of women and children brought about by the “Indradhanush” immunisation programme. 

Source:TH