Girls in / Madhya Pradesh have a valid reason to smile - and so does the government Ladli Laxmi Yojana, the brainchild of the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, launched for the empowerment of girl child in Madhya Pradesh, has after Delhi now been emulated by Uttar Pradesh. The scheme - envisaging payment of Rs 1 lakh to a girl child when she attains the age of 18/21 years - has become such a hit that even the Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has gone on record appreciating it. The birth of a girl child is considered a curse. The girls face discrimination at every stage, taking a backseat at home. The discrimination begins even before birth. Female foetus is terminated after sex determination test. The fortunate ones who do take birth are discriminated against in every respect, especially in matters related to health, nutrition and education. The situation prevails in almost all states of the country. However, in Madhya Pradesh, the launch of the scheme has brought about a change in the mentality of people towards having a girl child. This is clear from the fact that the desire of a male heir is being increasingly abandoned by the families. And why not? After all, Ladli Laxmi Yojana relieves a poverty struck parent from the burden a girl child might bring - poor people who used to take the birth of a girl child as a 'curse' because of lack of the funds they would be requiring for her marriage now know that with the scheme in force, they need not worry any more. Under the scheme, Rs 7,500 would be deposited by the state government in the name of a girl child on the day she is born. This amount would accumulate to Rs one lakh after 18 years and would then be handed over to the girl. The scheme aims at creating positive thinking about girls among the masses, improvement in gender ratio and improving standard of education and health of girls apart from laying a solid foundation for their future especially in the rural and tribal areas. And its popularity among the people living in remotest parts of the state from the first year of its launch can be gauged by the fact that 40,854 girls were benefited that year in 2007 against a target of 30,000 girls. The scheme also intends to improve the educational and the health conditions of girls, check child marriage and encourage family planning. Under this, a National Saving Certificate is purchased in the name of a girl at the time of her birth. More importantly, it has been connected to their education. On admission in the VI the girl is given a cash amount of Rs 2,000 and on admission in IX Rs 4,000. When she clears X examination and gets admission in XI she would get Rs 7,500 cash and Rs 200 per month to cover the expenses on education of XI and XII classes. On attaining the age of 21 years she would get Rs 1,18,000 cash. The novel scheme has yielded encouraging results also because the conditions to qualify for it are too simple. All those girls whose parents are domicile of Madhya Pradesh, not an income tax assessee and have two or less children are eligible for the benefit of the scheme provided they are registered with Anganwadi centre. The popularity of Ladli Laxmi Yojana is discernible even among the people living in remotest parts of the state. The scheme has created considerable awareness in the rural areas of the state as well with the result that the desire for having atleast one male child is taking a dip and couples are adopting family planning even after two daughters. Such precedents have also been set when a couple underwent family planning operation after the mother gave birth to twin girls. Constant contact with Anganwadis by parents is also a sign of great popularity of the scheme. Birth of a girl has even become a festive occasion in some of the tribal dominated districts like Mandla, Betul, Chhindwara, Jhabua, Balaghat, Dindori and Seoni districts -thanks to Ladli Laxmi Yojana. "Following implementation of this scheme, the negative tendency in the society towards girls has started undergoing a vast change. Now, birth of a girl fills a family with happiness and joy at many a places", officials claim. It has not only brought about a sea change in the society's attitude towards the girl child and improving sex ratio in the state. In this connection, tribal-dominated Mandla district has set an example with achieving 422.10 per cent success in the implementation of the scheme followed by Betul with 399.57 per cent and Chhindwara with 350.92 per cent. Seven districts have achieved more than 200 per cent success and 19 districts have achieved 100 per cent or even more success in implementing the scheme. So far, 1,50,657 girls have turned 'Lakhpati' in the state due to the scheme. While the maximum benefit of Ladli Laxmi Yojana has gone to the girls of Jabalpur division where 42,307 girls have become Ladli Laxmis, this is followed by Bhopal division with 28,358 girls, Gwalior division with 19,428 girls, Indore division with 18,593 girls, Ujjain division with 16,091 girls, Sagar division with 14,078 girls and Rewa division with 11,802 girls. In view of the Yojana's importance in girls' development, the state government has further simplified its rules and formalities. Now, the first girl born after April 2008, is being given scheme's benefit even when her parents do no go in for family planning. Due to this measure taken by the state government, the number of scheme's beneficiaries has increased four fold. By introducing Ladli Laxmi Yojana, the state government has made a solid move for curbing the tendency of assuming a child as a burden. It is also expected that with the effective implementation of this scheme, the mother and child mortality rate and population will also come down in the days to come. Besides, literacy rate will rise and girls will be married off at an appropriate age. The Union government is also going to implement this scheme in the same format adopted by Madhya Pradesh government while Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have already implemented it. REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE In fact, last four years have borne witness to a revolutionary change in Madhya Pradesh and women of the state have found a new and real meaning of their lives. Since the character of our society is mired in paradoxes and discrepancies, womenfolk were languishing at the periphery despite being 50 per cent of the population. But now they have started to come out of the state of deprivation. This has been for the first time that the untold miseries of women have found expression. This is due to the fact that the state government succeeded in identifying the real problems faced by womenfolk by studying them minutely. The government has also realised women's struggle for existence. Sex determination tests and killing of girl child's embryos had outraged women's honour and pride and they were on the brink of waging war for their own existence. Women were being exploited in almost every field so much so that a woman labourer or worker had to be satisfied with less payment than her male counterpart for the same work as she was forced to provide two-time meal to her family. It was as if persecution by males instead of cooperation had become their fate. The state government is determined to do away with all those practices and traditions which strengthen the foundation of discrimination against women and their exploitation. By formulating schemes helpful for women in every walk of life, the state government has proved that its efforts towards women's empowerment are not a mere sham. These efforts have offset the fact that the state government is in favour of equality in the inner core of society. WOMEN PANCHAYAT On the initiative of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, first Mahila Panchayat was held on July 30, 2006. The idea behind organising women's Panchayat had stemmed from state government's transparent thinking of eliciting those women's views, who are active at Panchayat and grass root levels, about the important schemes implemented by the state government for women's uplift and empowerment. Every section of society has appreciated this novel move of the state government. The proposals for women and child development given by women at the Mahila Panchayat included (1) Introduce Goadbharai scheme to facilitate pregnant women and help them in delivery, (2) Annaprashan scheme for introducing light food to a child when he is six-month-old (3) Starting Janma Divas (birthday) programme for increasing people's interest towards Aanganwadis and (4) Improvement in the quality of nutritious food supplied at Aanganwadis (5) Balika Suraksha Yojana (Girl child security scheme), (6) Matra Shishu Raksha Card and many other innovative schemes. The state government has given practical shape to all these proposals. One of major proposals made at Mahila Panclnayat was setting of a women's desk in selective police stations in 38 districts. The state government has put a strict ban on sex determination tests by implementing PNDT Act with an iron hand. The state government has also announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for giving information of embryo sex determination test. WOMEN-RELATED ISSUES IN PRIORITY LIST The state government has included women-related issues in its priority list. The government is fully determined that children and women in the state improve their standard of life and have all the opportunities to march ahead. A diehard votary of equality between males and females, the government also wants to make mothers self-reliant and economically strong. It thus took courageous and important decision to give 50 per cent reservation to women in the elections to local and civic bodies as well as recruitment of contract school teachers. Similarly, 30 per cent quota was fixed for women taking admission in any of the bachelor or post-graduate courses offered by autonomous medical colleges in the state. The state government discussed women's problems at large by organising special Panchayat meetings in all the villages on the occasion of Maharani Laxmi Bai's martyrdom day. NEW NUTRITIOUS FOOD POLICY The state government also implemented the new Nutritious Food Policy after 35 years and ensured that 20 types of dishes are served at Aangawadis on the basis of local food model. This has refurbished the image of Women and Child Development Department. This decision would benefit children from the age of six months to six years, expectant mothers and girl students at the Aangawadis. By increasing the rate of Complimentary Nutritious Food by more then double, the state government has made its intentions clear about worthwhile improvement in the lives of women and children. Dry fruits and kheer-puri are also served to the beneficiaries at Aangawadis on the occasion of festivals. TOWARDS WELFARE ? 50 per cent reservation to women in the elections to local and civic bodies and recruitment of contract school teachers. Thirty per cent quota for women in the admission to medical education courses ? Mahila Panchayat was held for the first time in the state on July 30, 2006 ? Thirty-one new child development schemes and 20,000 new Aanganwadi centres started during four years. ? Aanganwadi beneficiaries number goes up to 80 lakh from 65 lakh. ? New nutritious food policy introduced in Aanganwadis after 35 years. ? Now 20 types of dishes being served on the basis of local food model. ? Shaktimaan Yojana implemented in 19 districts gripped by extreme malnutrition ? Complimentary nutritious food's rate more than doubled. ? Well-applauded Ladli Laxmi Yojana benefits 11 thousand girls. ? Rs 161-core Tejaswini Yojana implemented in six districts for rural women's empowerment. ? Two Awards instituted for women for bravery and best achievement.