In Jhunjhunu, PM Narendra Modi hails women power, expands 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' program

Jaipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and expanded his government's flagship 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' program (BPBP).

PM Modi expanded the (BBBP) up from the existing 161 districts to 640 districts all over the country.

PM Narendra Modi's visit to Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu came on March 8 - the International Women’s Day. 

Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, ''With the power of technology the entire nation is connected with Jhunjhunu now. I am here in Jhunjhunu to commend this district for furthering Beti Bachao Beti Padhao movement.''

Giving a fillip to the Government’s initiative to save and educate the girl child, the Prime Minister also called for equality between men and women for the society to move forward and and prosper.

''Equality between men and women make any society go forward and prosper. Let us resolve that there will be the same number of girls taking birth as the number of boys. Beta beti ek samaan (boys and girls are equal),'' PM Modi said.

Seeking a change in people's mindset towards the girl child, PM said, ''A mother-in-law can make a lot of difference. If she says she wants a daughter in the house, then no one will be able to hassle a daughter.''

''We will have to bring in a social revolution,'' PM Narendra Modi said.

''It is important to provide proper nutrition to children,'' PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister earlier interacted with beneficiary mothers and girl children of the program. 

He also distributed certificates to best performing districts under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program.

The Prime Minister honoured the district administrations of Sikar and Jhunjhunu for improving the sex-ratio.

Sex-ratio was alarming in Sikar before the campaign. In 2011, there were 848 females over 1,000 males.

"After innovative steps taken under the campaign, the sex ratio was registered at 930 females over 1,000 males," Sikar District Collector Naresh Thakral had said.

"Improvement in sex-ratio in the districts is a collective effort of people involved in the campaign, which improved sex-ratio in the districts," said Thakral.

In another landmark initiative, the PM also launched the National Nutrition Mission, (NNM) launched nationwide by the Prime Minister from Jhunjhunu. 

He also launched NNM- ICDS Common Application Software. 

The mission strives to reduce under-nutrition and low birth weight, bring down anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls and to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children.