Balod: In a progressive step taken by a village in Chhattisgarh, when a girl is born its parents are honoured by gifting them a plant to end discrimination against girls. The village of Deori in Balod district started this innovative practice three years ago.
Till now more than 25 daughters have been born in the village and their parents have been honoured. If a family has two daughters, then it is motivated for family planning.
Although the government is carrying out various other campaigns for the cause too, this village has taken important steps to bring awareness at its own level and is motivating others to do so as well.
The Panchayat also has an important contribution to this program. Sarpanch Nem Bai said that they motivate villagers to honour daughters. The village is now more aware that the baby’s gender does not matter. Earlier people wanted a third child even after having 2 daughters, but they have tried to end this discrimination and the whole situation is now becoming meaningful. The sarpanch also said that we want to advance the growth of daughters and are doing everything possible to achieve it.
A thoughtful gift:
Environment lover Shubham Sahu said that gifting a plant to the newborn girl is very symbolic as well as environment friendly. The parents decide where to plant the sapling, either in the village, a farm or even outside and as the daughters grow, the tree also grows.
Female-male population equal in the village
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Coincidentally, the population of women and men is equal in the village. The total population of the village is 2,080, of which 1040 are female and 1040 are male.
The government had also launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign with an aims to remove discrimination and providing girls with good educations.
Women's police station in-charge also appreciated the cause
Padma Jagat, in-charge of Women's Police Station, has also praised this initiative of the village. She said that the coming generations will definitely benefit from this initiative. In other villages also, such steps should be taken to end the discrimination between sons and daughters so that daughters can get a safe society.