Nawalparasi, Aug 21: Hupsekot Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) has so far gifted bank accounts with Rs 5,000 to 256 girls. The rural municipality deposited the money in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries in four years under the ‘Our Daughter’s Golden Future’ programme that started in the fiscal year 2077/78 BS.
Laxmi Devi Pandey, chairperson of the rural municipality, informed that so far Rs 1.2 million has been deposited in bank accounts under the programme.
The rural municipality has set a provision that following the birth registration at the ward office, a bank account of the child should be opened and Rs 10,000 deposited in the account (the rural municipality manages Rs 5,000 and the child’s parents manage remaining Rs 5,000).
The custodian of the bank account of the girl will be the parents. Pandey said that the programme aims for the deposited money to be used in the girl’s higher education.
Similarly, this initiative is expected for the parents to develop the habit of saving money for their daughters’ future, thus helping them become financially free. “This campaign is expected to help make daughters self-reliant and live a dignified life, and stop female feticide.”
Hari Prasad Parajuli, the chief administrative officer of the rural municipality, said that the programme has had its impact in the village, prompting parents to open bank accounts in their daughters’ name following birth registration. “We have found that parents who give birth to daughters are happy and proud “, he said, “This has also given a message that daughters should be respected, and their future be secured.”
For availing the scheme, pregnant women who are permanent residents of Hupsekot Rural Municipality must undergo regular health check-ups, and give birth at a hospital.
Parajuli said that the programme have started bearing fruit with pregnant women visiting the hospital for regular check-ups and giving birth, and birth registration took place on time.
