Take steps to prevent crimes against girls, officials told

Tirupati: Raising awareness about the importance of protecting and educating girls, District in-charge Collector Shubham Bansal called on relevant authorities to focus on preventing crimes against girls under the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative.

Speaking at a meeting on Friday, the in-charge Collector emphasised the urgent need to spread awareness on the slogan ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’ throughout the district.

The meeting was part of the district-level ‘Kishori Vikas Training of Trainers’ (TOT) programme. During the meeting, Shubham Bansal highlighted the importance of addressing child marriages, teenage pregnancies and anemia, stressing the need for collective efforts to ensure the welfare of girls.

Field-level officials, including CDPOs, ANMs, ASHA workers, Anganwadi teachers and women police were instructed to work together to prevent child marriages. He pointed out that early marriages and teenage pregnancies force girls out of school and into health crises, urging parents to be made aware of these consequences.

The Collector also directed education department officials to identify out of school girls and ensure their reintegration into schools. Welfare assistants were tasked with understanding the reasons behind girls dropping out and motivating them to pursue education. Shubham Bansal further recommended holding meetings at the village and mandal levels with the health, women and child welfare, education and police departments to raise awareness among adolescent girls about the risks of early pregnancies.

Women and Child Welfare officer Jayalakshmi explained that the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, launched by the Central government, aims to protect and educate girls through coordinated efforts by State and Central departments.

She stressed the collective responsibility to protect girls from the womb and to support their education, enabling them to become self-reliant. Encouraging education, she said, not only ensures protection for girls but also upholds their rights.

On the occasion, Shubham Bansal unveiled a poster featuring emergency helpline numbers related to the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ initiative. DRDA project director Sobhan Babu, District Skill Development officer Lokanatham, women police DSP Srilatha, District Education Officer KVN Kumar, DMHO Dr U Sreehari, CDPOs, supervisors, TOT trainers, representatives from NGOs, and various district department officials attended the meeting.