Expanding the mandate of the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padao’ scheme, the Central government on Tuesday announced the inclusion of skilling of girls in non-traditional livelihood (NTL) options in its flagship programme.
The scheme will now also focus on increasing the enrolment of girls in secondary education, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects. Women have been historically under-represented areas such as technology.
Announcing the new inclusion in the scheme, Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, emphasised the importance of convergence between various departments for providing quality education to empower girls. “Government has always encouraged and empowered girls to pursue vocation of their choice irrespective of gender stereotypes,” Ms. Irani said.
