Press Release from the Office of Women and Child Welfare Department Namchi District

10TH LAUNCHING PROGRAM OF BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO AT SIKKIP B.A.C
Namchi, 26 February: Women and Child Welfare Department Organized an awareness program on 10th Launching program of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao at Sikkip B.A.C focusing on awareness drive on Publicity of WHL & CHL along with drive of PC-PNDT Act.
The program was graced by Honorable Zilla of Lamatan GPU Sir Sonam Gyalshen Sherpa as the Chief Guest, followed by Honorable Zilla of Sanganath GPU Madam Indra Maya Rai as the Guest of Honour, Honorable Panchayat President’s and members of all the three GPU’s, Lamatan GPU, Sanganath GPU and Wok-Omchu GPU, B.D.O of Sikkip B.A.C Sir Basant Moktan, A.D Nutrition cum BBBP Nodal Officer Madam Sophia Lepcha, D.E.O Education Madam Rekha Subba, C.N.O Madam Bijay Laxmi Rai, Center Administrator OSC Madam Sangita Gurung, Probation Officer Madam Smriti Rai DCP Unit, PMMVY D.E.O Madam Lhasang Tamang, Aganwadi’s, S.H.G Members, SRLM Members, State Bank of Sikkim Staff and B.A.C staff members.
The Honorable Zilla Sir Sonam Gyalshen Sherpa in his speech shared that how women these days are just not limited to household works but have outgrown and outnumbered men in various fields. He also urged everyone share the knowledge that was shared by the resource person of the program, and aware people about Child Sex Ratio.
AD Nutrition cum BBBP Nodal Officer Madam Sophia Lepcha said in her session that Beti Bachao Beti Padho launched by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22nd January 2015. She explained how decline in Child Sex Ratio led to the launching of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and how our Honorable PM talks about it at Maan Ki Baat.
D. E.O Education Ms. Rekha Subba Shared the information on the enrollment of students at under Sikkip B.A.C. She shared that the total number of enrollment of boy student was 297 and girl student was 279 which is low but the numbers are rising she added positively.
She further awared people about New India Literacy Program (NILP), and it was started in the year 2020 focusing on drop-out and adult people education from the age of 15-35years. She also went to aware people about how various kinds of scholarship was given to students of CBSE Board to help the students financially.
Ms. Bijay Laxmi Rai CNO, addressed the gathering about Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT Act). The Act was implemented on 1994 and amended on 2004. The decline in Child Sex Ratio was the reason behind the implementation of this Act.
She further shared that PC-PNDT Act is directly linked to Ultrasound. Through Ultrasound many diseases can also be noticed similarly pregnant women undergo Ultrasound to check the health of the baby, but saying so the person or the doctor in charge of the ultrasound cannot reveal the gender of the baby, and the pregnant women can also cannot go ultrasound without any prescription by the doctor.They are also required to complete and maintain Form F, which must be signed by both the doctor and the patient, with copies retained by both the clinic and the patient. Patients undergoing an illegal ultrasound, they may face legal penalties, including fines ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 and imprisonment for a duration of 3 to 5 years, in addition to the revocation of the clinic’s and doctors’ licenses.
H.E.O Ms.Lhasang Tamang in her speech shared awarness about Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna (PMMVY) a Central Scheme. It is a scheme for pregnant Mother and Lactating Mother to nourish their health in their critical time. She also took in into her talk to discuss that any women an avail the benefit from any near by ICD’s Center by registering. The documents required was Adhaar Card for it and any other supporting document. The Adhaar Card must be linked to bank account for the payment to be received.
She also added that the pregnant women gets grant of Rs. 5000/- for first child and if the second baby is a girl child than the women gets Rs. 6000/- grant. She urged everyone to kindly share the information shared in their GPU’s and kindly avail the benefits.
Center Administrator Ms. Sangita Gurung shared the background story of how O.S.C came into existence. She shared that One Stop Center works against all kinds of violence against women. She also shared that OSC provides short shelter to the women in need and provides free legal aid to the women. She also added that One Stop Center was started at 2017 at Gangtok Sikkim, and was started on 2nd December 2019 at Jorethang. She further took the opportunity to share the toll free number for women that is 181 and it works 24*7 for the women safety, protection.
Probation Officer Ms. Smriti Rai from DCP Unit, took the stage to aware the gathering of POCSO Act. She added that POCSO is a stringent act and once anyone falls under the it, the law does not spare anyone. She further asked the gathering, who is a child? Anyone below the age of 18 is considered to be a child according to the law, and the law comes in if any child is violated by anyone.
She further added that POCSO is not a gender bias act and it protects both gender child. She added that teenage pregnancies is seen in huge numbers these days and non reporting of POCSO is also one of the reason for it. She further went on to request the gathering to report the POCSO cases if not than according to law the non-reporting person is also punishable by the law.
Thus the program ended with the publicity of CHL 1098 & WHL 181.