The Centre on Friday said the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme has played a key role in improving the Child Sex Ratio and promoting the empowerment of girls and women by driving behavioural and social change across the country.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said the scheme primarily focuses on changing societal attitudes towards the girl child by informing, influencing, motivating, engaging and empowering stakeholders at multiple levels.
The minister said that during the 15th Finance Commission period, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was expanded as a component under the SAMBAL vertical of Mission Shakti to cover all districts across the country through multi-sectoral interventions, with greater emphasis on activities that deliver tangible outcomes at the grassroots level.
The Minister said the programme has evolved from a policy initiative into a nationwide movement by bringing together government agencies, media organisations, civil society groups and the public to promote the value of the girl child.
Citing the latest Health Management Information System (HMIS) data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the minister said the national Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) improved from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2025-26 (provisional). In Delhi, the Sex Ratio at Birth also showed an upward trend, increasing from 901 to 915 during the same period.
The minister also highlighted improvements in girls’ education. According to data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) under the Ministry of Education, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls at the secondary school level increased nationally from 75.51 per cent in 2014-15 to 83.4 per cent in 2025-26.
In Delhi, the Gross Enrolment Ratio of girls at the secondary level rose from 99.13 per cent in 2014-15 to 108.3 per cent in 2025-26, reflecting increased enrolment and retention in schools.
The minister said the scheme’s objective is to bring about lasting behavioural and social transformation in how girls are perceived and valued, noting that because of its awareness-driven nature, the number of direct beneficiaries cannot be measured in conventional terms.
