J&K: Circular Issued For Govt Employees To Make Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Ringtone Mandatory
Image Credit: Tez Samachar

J&K: Circular Issued For Govt Employees To Make 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' Ringtone Mandatory

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Recently, a circular has been issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner in Samba, Jammu and Kashmir, which says that all District Officers are to ensure that every employee working in all the departments installs “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” (BBBP) as their ringtone in their Jio mobile numbers. When The Logical Indian contacted the office of the Deputy Commissioner, they confirmed that the circular has been issued and also said that all employees have already changed their ringtones.



Beti Bachao Beti Padhao funds and spendings

The idea of making BBBP ringtone mandatory is to make people more aware about the importance of the initiative. Let’s take a look at the funds that were allocated for the scheme and how much of it was utilised;

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development said last year that 90% of the funds allocated for BBBP was not utilised in the year 2016-2017.

Out of a total amount of Rs 43 crore that was set aside for BBBP in the fiscal year 2016-2017, a mere Rs 5 crore has been utilised so far, according to the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development, reported The Economic Times.

Similarly, the amount of money spent on this scheme in 2017-18 was also less than one-tenth of Rs 59.37 crore spent on BBBP in the previous fiscal year.


Authoritarian diktat

The way the circular has been issued, the ringtone seems more like an imposition rather than sensitising people about the girl child. BBBP would better perform and do more good if its loopholes are fixed.

The need of the hour is not for government officials to listen to BBBP song but ensure that the policy is properly enacted.


The Logical Indian take

In 2014, when the Narendra Modi government came to power, they gave people fresh hope and pledged to avoid ending up like its predecessor – the UPA regime.

BJP seemed like a party which will stand beside women and uplift millions of people out of poverty with their fast-paced development. Four years down the line, the BJP government and its backers are cracking down on dissent. Also, the way BJP insists on implementing policies, it is clear that there is haste in the way they want to impose their diktats. The ‘mandatory ringtone’ is not an isolated incident.

After the Prime Minister’s ‘Pariksha Par Charcha’ programme that took place on February 16, all schools were asked to send video proof that every student watched the programme. Last year during Independence Day, all schools across the country was issued a circular as to how should the day be celebrated and video proof was sought to substantiate it.

The government needs to prioritise and not invest time is trivial topics such as the ringtone of its employees.

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Editor : Poorbita Bagchi

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