My dear friends,
I am glad to be back here again. It feels great to share my thoughts with people living in different parts of the world. I am happy to share that an important decision has been taken to further boost the girls' education in Bihar and I find it most appropriate to share this distinctive development with you.
During my Independence Day speech at Gandhi Maidan in Patna this year, I was happy to announce scholarships across the board for all girls, from Class I to Class X, studying in different government schools across Bihar.
What is significant about this decision is that schoolgirls from all sections of society regardless of caste, creed, community and economic background will benefit from it. The only criterion is that the beneficiary should be a student of a government school. That's all.
This, in my opinion, is a revolutionary step which will give a tremendous boost to women's education in the state. A few years ago, for incentivising enrolment especially for girl child in schools, the Mukhya Mantri Balika Poshak Yojna was started with cash support for school uniform to every enrolled girl child of Class VI to VII. Later it was extended all students from Class I to VIII and girl students of classes IX and XII. Another innovative landmark scheme Mukhya Mantri Balika Cycle Yojna was introduced in 2007-08 in which cash was given to girl students of class IX for purchase of cycles. This scheme not only saw a drastic increase in enrolment of girls but brought a new found confidence in them leading to a social transformation. The scheme has now been extended to cover all students of class IX. Prior to implementation of the scheme, a large number of girls used to drop out of their schools after Class VIII. But these schemes reversed the trend.
That undoubtedly turned out to be a milestone in the field of girls' education in Bihar. That cycle scheme brought about a social revolution and made the cycle-riding schoolgirls a veritable mascot of Bihar, especially in the rural areas. The success of that scheme could be gauged from the fact that altogether 9,61,109, including 4,92,899 girls, availed of the scheme in 2012-13.
When the scheme was launched in 2007-08, only 1,56,092 girls had benefited from it. The scheme was later extended for the boys as well. I am happy to see that the total number of the beneficiaries bicycle scheme has risen to 47,44,966, including 24,57,539 girls, towards the end of last fiscal.
The bicycle project has indeed heralded a silent revolution in the hinterland of Bihar as far as woman empowerment is concerned. It has instilled a sense of confidence in the girls. The sight of the groups of girls going to their schools from their villages on their bicycles bears an ample testimony to that. It is a kind of social revolution which has altered the way girls education has been looked at in Bihar, historically. I am certain the impact of this revolution will be felt in the long run when women would be truly empowered. An empowered woman makes a vibrant society.
It is in keeping with my government's thrust on women's education that I resolved to give women's education a further boost through scholarship scheme. This scheme may well turn out to be an equally significant decision not only because it will encourage families to send their daughters to school but also because it will act as a catalyst for social change in the long run. I have always believed that educating a girl means educating an entire family.
A recent study has revealed that the population of Bihar has gone up by 25 per cent in the past decade. This is an alarming rate. All development work and GDP growth rate will come to a naught if we are not able to stabilise population. I think education plays a vital role in helping stabilise the population as well.
Bihar has the fertility rate of 3.6 but it is only 2 among the Matric-pass girls. This is on par with the national rate but it gets further reduced to 1.6 among the Intermediate-pass girls which is less than the national average (1.7). This clearly indicates that education creates awareness about such things.
I have, therefore, decided to establish a high school in each panchayat. At present, there is shortage of about 4,500 high schools across Bihar. The Cabinet has already approved of setting up of 1,000 high schools in the current financial year.
There are other burning social issues such as child marriage and gender inequality which are reasons for several social problems. These too can be tackled through girls' education.
It is a matter of concern that the number of female population is going down because of rampant female foeticide. At present, the male-female ratio is 1,000:916 in Bihar which needs to be improved. I am of the view that proper and holistic education of girls will definitely help reverse this unhealthy trend as well. In my opinion an educated girl will never allow female foeticide.
The new scholarship scheme will give a tremendous fillip to their education. Its impact may not be understood immediately but it will usher in the social change in the coming years. Women's education can be the most effective tool to usher in social revolution.
I hope more and more girls will avail of this new scheme and join schools to study. As I told you, an educated girl means an educated family.
Thank you very much.