Himachal Pradesh is having 12 districts having the total population of Himachal Pradesh is 6,856,509 according to the 2011 Census,. The total population growth since the last census was 12.81 percent and the population of the state forms 0.57 percent of the entire population in India. The overall Sex Ratio in Himachal Pradesh is 974 for each 1000 male and has increased from 970 per 1000 males since the last census of 2001and the child sex ratio is 906 per 1000 males and has decreased as compared to 957 in the 2001 census. Lowest child sex ratio is in Kinnaur distt. and highest in Hamirpur distt according to 2011 census. Due to high rate of population growth the pressure on government is high to provide the all basic amenities to state population and specially children the future of state . Hence all successive government has given special attention to children and adolescents. Various schemes and programs has been launched for the welfare of children.
Schemes Relating to welfare of Children
1. Integrated Child Protection Scheme :
Integrated Child Protection scheme is helpful in achieving the objective to ensure the protection of rights of children and providing all associates services to the children who are in need of care and protection.They get free education, food and health care by the department.
2. Integrated Child Development Services Scheme :
Under this scheme department is providing nutrition to the pregnant, Lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children of 6 month to 6 year. Pre School Education is being provided to the children of age group of 3 to 6 years.
Objective of the scheme are. 1. Nutrition and Health Education 2. Immunisation 3. Supplementary nutrition 4. Health Check up 5. Pre School Education 6. Referral Services .
3. Bal/Balika Suraksha Yojna : To motivate people to adopt orphan and destitute children so that they could grow up in a family atmosphere under the custody of the family head. The Scheme aims at saving such children from admission into orphanages and encourage participation of families in discharging social responsibilities besides ensuring emotional back-up to such deprived children. Any family with annual income of below Rs. 60,000 and free from any serious ailments will be eligible to become custodian of the children. State Government would be providing a financial grant of Rs. 500 per month per child to the family.
4. Mukhya mantri Ashriwad Yojana :
Baby kit worth 1,500 will be provided to all new born neonatal in the state in any government civil hospital . Basic care products are provided in the kit .
Welfare schemes for girl child only :
1. Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) -SABLA :
Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) -SABLA is a scheme to empower adolescent girls of 11-18 years by improving their nutritional and health status, upgrading various skills like home skills, life skills and vocational skills. The girls will also be equipped with information on health and family welfare, hygiene and guidance on existing public services. The scheme is being implemented in 200 districts across the country on a pilot basis while in the remaining districts Kishori Shakti Yojna (KSY), where operational, will continue as before. The scheme is being implemented using the platform of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) wherein Aanganwadi Centres (AWC) would be the focal point for the delivery of services.
2. Beti Hai Anmol Yojana:
Under this Yojana, for all the families lying below the poverty line in Himachal and having one or two girls, a sum of Rs. 12000 will be deposited in the name of girls at the time of their birth. Moreover, to help in the education of such girls, scholarship ranging from Rs. 300 to Rs. 12000 will be given to them from class I to class XII.
3. Balika Samridhi Yojana:
Under Balika Samridhi Yojana, for the girls belonging to the Below Poverty Line Families (BPL), a sum of Rs. 500 will be deposited in their name in the bank till they attain 18 years of age.
4. Kishori Scheme:
Kishori Scheme is being implemented in its present form through anganwadi centers in rural and urban areas. Under this scheme, the unmarried and school drop outs of the families who live below the poverty line are selected and in the local Anganwadi centers, they are included in the teaching and training activities for 6 months. The aim of this scheme is to increase the feeling of self-confidence, enthusiasm and self-confidence of the teenager. This scheme also includes two sub-schemes. These schemes are as follows: Scheme - 1 (different approach for each girl) and scheme for girls aged 11-15 years has been prepared. The purpose of scheme-2 is to give priority to the minor girls of the age group of 11-18 years of the families of all income levels. Kishori scheme is available in 507 ICDS stations across the country.Approved in blocks.
Purpose of the scheme :
1. Improve nutritional and health status of girls aged 11-18 years.
2. Provide marks and literacy to inform them through informal education, motivating them to gain maximum social experience and knowledge and to help them improve their decision-making capabilities.
3. Training and resources - to make the teenagers improve / upgrade their home and business skills.
4. Promote health and cleanliness, nutrition and family welfare, home management and child care awareness among the adolescent and make all possible efforts to ensure that their marriage is only on or after 18 years of age.
5. Understand the effect of these issues on social issues around them and their lives, and Encourage adolescent girls to become productive and useful members of society
A lot of development has been made in Himachal Pradesh in the field of education, health, child care female literacy and female work participation. But this development does not reflect Child Sex Ratio. The districts with high literacy have lower Child Sex Ratio than the districts with lowest literacy. Lowest female literacy in rural areas show better Child Sex Ratio than higher literacy in urban areas. Hence, the declining Child Sex Ratio in Himachal Pradesh must be understood in the light of the changing context of social and economic development. Children from low income family are kept out of formal school education , health and nutrition level in children are not at optimum level as required , so govt. should also empower and aware the parents and families . Children must be provided fearless environment in the state so that they can excel and can participate in state development.