The district administration of Cachar is all set to start year-long Beti Bachao Beti Padao campaign, a flagship programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
With the districts of Dhemaji and Cachar selected for carrying out the year-long campaign in Assam, Cachar deputy commissioner Laya Madduri, unveiling a mascot, not yet named, announced an array of competitions and activities beginning from Sunday.
Addressing a press conference at the DC’s conference hall in Silchar, Madduri said, “We have lined up a lot of entry point activities, events and competitions to involve a large number of people to bring about a behavioural change in Cachar district.”
She added, “To begin with, any father or mother can post a photograph of their daughter through ‘facebook’ with a hastag #Silchar Ki Beti and mention three reasons as to why they are proud of their daughter.”
“Three best posts with one having maximum number of views would be given a cash prize of Rs 5,000 for the first position, Rs 3,000 for the second position and Rs 2000 for the third position,” said Madduri.
Madduri added, “DC Card would be extended through the Social Welfare department to families having only girl child or only daughters and have no other plans to have a boy child in future.”
“These cards would provide privileges and priorities to them in getting first-hand services wherever there is a long queue for gas connections or paying electricity bills or in any government office,” informed Madduri.
She further said, “All government-run hospitals and health centres, except Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) and Silchar’s Civil Hospital, can come forward to celebrate the birth of a girl child, for which, the doctors can post in Facebook under the hastag #ShukherAgamon.”
Street plays with the theme Beti Bachao Beti Padao would be performed by five government and five private run higher secondary schools, said Madduri.
“Locations to perform such street plays would be entrusted by us and the students in turn should take videos and photos and upload the details through the social media,” the DC said.
She also informed that the winners of street plays would get a cash prize of Rs 5,000 for the first position, Rs 4,000 for the second position and Rs 3,000 for the third position respectively.
“All the winners would be a part of our grand programme that we are planning to organize sometime by the end of September, for which entries would be accepted before September 20 next,” said the Cachar DC.
Madduri also said, “Year-long activities would continue in collaboration with the UNICEF and child protection communities at the block and village level for checking issues like child labour, child rights and most importantly, their right to education.”
