CAG pulls up Haryana on 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme

The Comptroller and Auditor General has pulled up the Haryana government for "diversion of funds" and non-achievement of 100 per cent re-enrolment of dropout girls under the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme.
Besides, the sex ratio target of Haryana's Panipat district from where the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) scheme was launched in 2015, could not be achieved as on March 2016, as per the latest performance audit of non-public sector undertakings for the year ending March, 2016.
BBBP, a centrally sponsored scheme, was rolled out on January 22, 2015 at Panipat and the objectives of the scheme were to prevent gender-biased sex selection elimination, and ensure survival, protection, education and participation of girl child.

CAG test checked the records of the office of Director, Women and Child Development (WCD) department and three districts covering a period from January, 2015 till March, 2016.
Mahendragarh and Panipat were selected on the basis of lowest and highest child sex ratio and Sonepat on the basis of maximum expenditure incurred, the report said.
As per the scheme, Rs 5 lakh were to be provided to each district through health department to strengthen the district pre-conception & pre-natal diagnostic technique cell, monitoring, research studies, information, education and communication activities.

The audit observed that funds of Rs 5 lakh released by district programme officer, Panipat to civil surgeon, Panipat for the aforementioned objectives out of which Rs 3.01 lakh were spent on preparation of 'theme gate' for the entrance at Panipat on the occasion of launching the scheme.

"Thus the expenditure incurred on the theme gate was irregular and tantamount to diversion of funds. Further it was observed that an expenditure of Rs 21.24 lakh was incurred (January 2015) by WCD department from funds of the scheme for the purchase of 1,800 laptop bags and 2,900 mugs. There was no provision in the scheme for purchase of these items," said the report.
However, the department in its reply said the purchase of laptop bags and mugs was made for wide publicity of the scheme and all the material was printed with the logo 'BBBP' and it was distributed to participants from all over India.

"The reply was not convincing because purchase and distribution of laptop bags and mugs was against the provision of the scheme as the expenditure was to be incurred on innovation and awareness activities," auditor observed.
As per audit report, the guidelines provided for improving the sex ratio at birth in gender critical districts by 10 points in a year.
The report said the ratio in Panipat district was 892 against the target of 902 as of December, 2015 which further decreased to 881 in March, 2016.
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The audit noted that the BBBP scheme was introduced only
in January 2015 and improvement in the sex ratio in the state could not be attributed solely to the scheme.

"The sex ratio has been increasingly steadily for the last four years for the state as a whole from 833 in 2011 to 876 in 2015 due to impact of several other schemes relating to girl child which were being implemented in the state for the last many years," as per report.
The report further pointed out that it was to ensure zero drop out and 100 per cent retention of girls up to secondary education and for this purpose, campaign to re-enrol dropout girls in secondary schools was to be organised.
It was observed in the audit that the target of ensuring zero dropout and 100 per cent retention of girls could not be achieved in three selected districts.