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| Tarun Gogoi hands over the cheques at the function on Wednesday as health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma looks on. Picture by Eastern Projections |
Guwahati, Feb. 18: Every time a girl is born in a government-run hospital anywhere in Assam, Dispur will open a fixed deposit account of Rs 5,000 in her name that can be encashed only when she is 18.
Majoni, the most popular endearment used for little girls, is also the name of this programme launched by the government today to wipe out gender bias that often leads to unequal care and opportunities.
But there are conditions here.
The baby must be born in a government hospital to benefit from the programme that is being funded under the Assam Bikash Yojana. Those who can afford paying cabins and private hospitals will not be eligible. Charitable hospitals, however, are on the beneficiary list.
Second, the parents must conform to the government policy of two children. If both children are girls, only one will be eligible.
Third, the money cannot be encashed or hypotheticated by the girl till her 18th birthday.
This is to ensure that the girl is not married off before 18 and can study at least till the secondary level.
“This is a historic day for Assam, as after this, the girl will not feel ignored and will at least study till Class X,” health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after chief minister Tarun Gogoi launched the programme in Kamrup district today.
The account will be opened with the State Bank of India with a photograph of both parents and the baby’s thumb impression.
The first recipient of the scheme was Fahmida Akhtar, who received a fixed deposit of Rs 5,000 in the name of her 18-day-old baby girl.
Only children born on or after February 1, 2009, will be eligible for the plan that has been drawn up using the best features of similar schemes in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.
Sarma took the opportunity to draw attention to the gender bias that prompts parents to prefer sons to daughters since the male child is expected to take on the reins of the family.
The sex ratio in Assam is 925 girls against every 1,000 boys.
“We send the boys to good schools and the girls to ordinary schools. This is the truth and this mentality still prevails,” Sarma said.
Records show that 225 girls were born in government hospitals in Kamrup till February 9.
To fund the project, Rs 100 crore would be spent by the government from its own resources, Sarma said.