By Nagendra Kumar Karna
Mahottari, Jan. 2: The free bicycle distribution programme to the schoolgirls under the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padau’ (Save the daughter, educate the daughter), an ambitious campaign of Province-2 government, has gained momentum in Mahottari lately.
Though the daughter insurance programme launched under the campaign has not gathered pace, the bicycle distribution programme is running in full swing.

The government has been working on the campaign since January 15, 2019. Under the campaign, the schoolgirls were provided with the bicycles in a bid to encourage girls to pursue education.
Since most girls in the district have to walk a long distance to reach their schools, the campaign is believed to encourage girls to continue with their education.

The municipal office has been distributing bicycles provided by the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, while some schools of the district individually approach the office to benefit from the scheme.
Priyanka Yadav, a staff of the Office, who has been looking after the campaign, said that the insurance program had been closed for the time being and the responsibility was handed over to the Ministry of Social Development.

“The Ministry will soon publish the tender for the banks and resume the insurance scheme,” said Yadav.
Under the campaign, newly born baby girls will be insured in the province’s eight districts and all eighth grader schoolgirls will receive bicycles. The education insurance is applicable for baby girls born after January 15, 2019.

The girl will receive the insurance amount in a lump sum after they get their citizenship certificates. Each of the insured girls will receive Rs. 120,000 for education once they reach 20 years of age.
Yadav, the coordinator of the program, said they had been receiving excessive pressure from principals and students of those schools which were yet to receive the bicycle.
The provincial government had launched the campaign to boost girls' access to education, encourage girls to continue their education and make people understand that giving birth to a girl child is not a curse, said Hari Prasad Mandal, Mayor of Matihani Municipality. The program was also appreciated by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, he added.

Stating that gender discrimination will continue till there is no social equality, Mayor Mandal said this is the reason why municipal council had been supporting the campaign of the provincial government.
Earlier in 2019, the district also marked an insurance week to promote the daughters’ insurance scheme.