Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana Launched In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Saturday launched Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana (BKRY) with an objective to improve Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and Child Sex Ratio (CSR) in three districts of the state.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the scheme at the state secretariat here.

The scheme will be implemented in Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul districts on a pilot basis.

The state government has made budgetary provisions of Rs 2 crore for Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana.

It will also ensure enrolment of girls in elementary education, provision of girl’s toilet in every school, self-defence training for girls, tracking dropout girls from schools and promotion of access to education.

Notably, the CSR has declined from 967 in 1991 census to 941 in 2011 census. According to the census, the CSR has declined in Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Angul and Ganjam districts. Nayagarh is covered under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme

The Chief Minister also dedicated 1,000 Anganwadi centers to the state on the occasion.

The state government plans to construct 24000 Anganwadi centres in the state in next four years.

“We are constructing Anganwadi centres under MGNREGS in convergence with ICDS Scheme in the state. The state has constructed 981 centres this year, which is highest in the country,” said Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu.