The “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” (BBBP) scheme was launched on 22nd January 2015 to address the alarming gender imbalance and declining child sex ratio in India.
Various initiatives have been implemented by Odisha Government to achieve the aims and goals of BBBP scheme. Major schemes of the Odisha Government under BBBP are “Nirbhaya Kadhi” (Fearless Bud), “Mo Gelha Jiya” (My Dear Daughter) in Ganjam, “Kalpana Avijan” in Dhenkanal, “Swarna Kalika” in Keonjhar and “Veerangana Yojana” in Deogarh district. These schemes are launched for adolescent girls to make them say “no to child marriage”, to combat sex selection and female foeticide, to continue their studies with higher education and to boost Self-Esteem and Confidence through martial arts and self-defence techniques.
1. “Nirbhay Kadhi” (The Fearless Bud) and “Mo Gelha Jhia” (My Lovely Daughter) of Ganjam district.
“Nirbhay Kadhi (The Fearless Bud)”, l.e., the fearless adolescents is the special initiative of the Ganjam District Administration under BBBP to attain a just order fit for the girl child. 183,933 adolescent girls of nearly 3,309 villages in Ganjam district in the age group of 11-18 years are covered under the Nirbhaya Kadhi Scheme through awareness meetings.
Another satellite programme of BBBP launched in the district is Mo Gelha Jhia (My Lovely Daughter) to combat sex selection and female foeticide in the Ganjam district.
As an outcome on 3rd January 2022, the administration declared Ganjam district as child marriage-free. From 2019 to October 2024, almost 20 out of 953 child marriages were successfully prevented with the help of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), District Child Protection Units (DCPU), Childline and Police. Mostly 450,000 students from 3,614 government schools made a public declaration to say ‘No’ to child marriage. An award of 5,000 is given to those who provide the first information about child marriage.
On its 9th Foundation Day, the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) felicitated the Collector, of Ganjam district for taking proactive measures in the prevention of child marriage and ensuring their rights.
2. “Kalpana Avijan” scheme of Dhenkanal district
This scheme was launched in Dhenkanal district of Odisha to track and monitor adolescent girls (10-19 years) and prevent child marriage through committees at various levels. This scheme prevented 343 child marriages between the years 2019-2024. About 1,13,515 adolescent girls were identified and enrolled under the scheme. Around 4,45,000 students from 3,425 schools declared saying ‘NO’ to child marriage in the form of oath-taking in a public place. Awareness programmes were organized in 1,211 villages and strategic forums were formed for engagement with youth and traditional leaders.
On the Observation of International Girl Child Week 2024, felicitated by ADM, Dhenkanal for taking proactive measures in the prevention of child marriage and ensuring their rights to childcare and protection. Women Ambassador, WCD and Mission Shakti, Odisha felicitated District social welfare officer, Dhenkanal for taking proactive measures in the prevention of child marriage. Ms Barsha Priyadarshini Sahoo of Odapada Block in Dhenkanal District was awarded by the District Administration for raising voice against her early marriage and take the initiative to stop Child Marriage in their Block. The administration felicitated the Mountaineer who said no to her child marriage and was rescued by the District Administration with help from other functionaries and was declared the brand ambassador of Kalpana Abhiijan programme.
3. “Swarna Kalika” scheme of Keonjhar district
Through the “Swarna Kalika” scheme awareness was raised in villages on the harmful effects of child marriage. Over 2,000 stakeholders involved in the campaign Promoted the ADVIKA app for awareness and intervention in the Keonjhar district of Odisha.
Successful district-level campaigns involving adolescents and community leaders and strengthened community systems to protect children resulted in a reduction in child marriages by 50% by 2024 through awareness campaigns and community mobilization.
4. “Veerangana” scheme of Deogarh district
With the growing crimes against women and girls, it is important to know more than just the use of pepper spray, Different forms of Martial Arts can help a lot to defend girls in their time of need. Under BBBP scheme, the “VEERANGANA” is one such innovative and scaled-up approach of District Administration, Deogarh, with an objective to Boost Self-Esteem and Confidence in adolescent girls through martial arts and self-defence techniques to keep protected girls from cheap comments, eve-teasing, harassment, being followed, groping, molestation, etc., facing in day-to-day affair through defending skills.
A 30-Day Training Camp on Self-Defence and Martial Arts under the title VEERANGANA was organized in the Indoor Stadium; Deogarh with technical support from the State KUDO Association of Odisha, Cuttack, Apart from this, in the Training Camp Awareness and Counselling sessions by the experts was also conducted for Adolescent and their parents on legal rights and entitlements of Girls.
More than 500 adolescents from various schools and colleges, in the age group of 14-19 years participated in the 30-day long training camp on Martial Art. About 300 guardians and teachers were also involved and imparted orientation on the legal rights and entitlements of the girts, As a way forward, 50 female master trainers as developed from this initiative, imparted short training sessions on the basics of martial arts in 300 schools of rural pockets extending the training to around 6,000 girl students.
This Special Drive-VEERANGANA won the appreciation of mass media and was institutionalized in many schools and colleges. The District Administration in the District Festival awarded VEERANGANA.
VEERANGANA also begged the Prestigious SKOCH Award as the Semi-Finalist, 50 female master trainers developed from this initiative, imparted short training sessions on the basics of martial arts in 300 schools of rural pockets extending the training to around 6,000 girl students.
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