Odisha government launches Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana

Bhubaneswar, Sep 3:

The Odisha government on Saturday launched the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana (BKRY) for the development of girls in three districts of the state.

The objective of the scheme is to improve Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and Child Sex Ratio (CSR) in the three districts.

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

The scheme will be implemented for three years in Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul districts on a pilot basis, said Patnaik.

It will ensure enrolment of girls in elementary education, tracking dropout girls from schools and creating a better environment for them, said the Chief Minister.

Sources said the state government had made a budgetary provision of Rs 2 crore for the scheme.

The CSR has declined from 967 in the 1991 census to 941 in the 2011 census in Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Angul and Ganjam districts. However, Nayagarh is covered under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, said an official.

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

The state government plans to construct 24,000 Anganwadi centres in the state in the next four years.

While the state has 71,306 Anganwadi centres, 31,175 have their own buildings and buildings for 15,650 are under construction, said the Chief Minister.

Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu said the state government is constructing Anganwadi centres under MGNREGS in convergence with the ICDS Scheme in the state. (IANS)