Uttarakhand CM Kicks Off Cycle Rally To Promote Welfare Of Girl Child

It seems that the authorities are finally waking up to the importance of saving the girl child for the country progress. In a bid to spread awareness, Uttarakhand's Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday (Sept 17) kicked off the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" cycle rally from the Police Line Maidan in Dehradun.

Prominent celebrities from the state — including Miss Uttarakhand Neha Raj, international cricketer Ekta Bisht and athlete Harendra — participated in the rally

Positive results of Beti Bachao

“Some two years later, positive results of the campaign have now started becoming visible,” he told HT. “The child sex ratio in Haryana, which was heavily skewed against the girl child, has now started showing improvement,” he said.

“There were 837 girls for 1,000 boys before the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign was launched in Haryana. It now stands at 950 girls for every 1,000 boys,” Rawat added.

He mentioned that he was launching a similar campaign from Dehradun as three districts of Uttarakhand -- Pithoragarh, Haridwar and Champayat -- show skewed sex-ratio.

Women empowerment and child development minister Rekha Arya, along with 120 other cyclists, will travel to Haridwar, covering a distance of 55 km.

“It will help bring about an attitudinal change in favour of the girl child"- Rekha Arya

Also: For Priya Kataria, girl power is a starting point not an end in itself

Change in attitude

Rekha Arya is optimistic that the cycle rally will help spread awareness on the issue.

“It will help bring about an attitudinal change in favour of the girl child,” the minister told HT.

It is good to see state governments initiating such campaigns to save the girl child and compelling people to do the same.

Read Also: Maharashtra Faces a Decline in Sex-Ratio, Beefs up Efforts to Save Girls