This Raksha Bandhan, gift social security schemes to sisters: Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted the ‘Bibipur model’ of promoting the girl child and urged people to gift social security schemes to “sisters” around them for ‘Raksha Bandhan’, twin calls that mark a significant outreach to women who constitute an important political constituency.
In his radio address on Sunday, Modi said, “In Haryana, a village sarpanch initiated a #SelfieWithDaughter initiative. I urge all of you, share a #SelfieWithDaughter. Also, share a tagline that will encourage ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’."
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The author of the campaign, Sunil Jaglan, heads the Bibipur village panchayat in Haryana, a state that has been the source of concern among planners for its dwindling sex ratio.Modi batted for the village headman’s initiative and urged people to blend it with the government campaign of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ to give it a holistic tone.
At the same time, Modi mentioned the upcoming festival of Raksha Bandhan and said insurance schemes launched by the Centre could be the perfect gift for sisters.
“In August, we have Raksha Bandhan, we can begin a mass movement to ensure that all women and sisters of our country get all security scheme benefits before Raksha Bandhan,” he said, adding, “Whether it is a woman working as a maid in our house or in our fields, or whether it is our own sisters, we can ensure that they avail the social security schemes."

PM Narendra Modi with Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das in Hazaribagh on Sunday.
He specifically mentioned accident insurance scheme at an annual premium of Rs 12 and life insurance at Rs 330.
The idea makes domestic helps and women labourers the beneficiaries, to be helped by socially and financially stronger male employers who would help with paper work and also fund the schemes.
The impetus from the top can boost the subscription of the recently launched schemes besides providing security cover to a segment of the poor that constitutes a big chunk of the migrant population.
The political importance of the twin moves is evident given that women form half the population and are a key voting class. The subsidy schemes have been an old tool of the political class to woo the poor.