OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The Papum Pare district women and child development department (WCD) on Tuesday honoured Tahin Tassar and Tana Taium for their unwavering support in educating their daughters.
The ceremony which took place at Emchi government school near here was part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme.
Both the fathers were recognized for their commitment to providing the best education for their daughters, while, Tahin Tassar is a father of five daughters, Tana Taium is a father of four daughters.
Papum Pare deputy commissioner Jiken Bomjen, who is also the father of four daughters, praised the WCD department's initiative.
"In a patriarchal society like ours, such fathers set an exemplary trend for equality and women's empowerment," the DC said and urged all parents to encourage their daughters to pursue their interests, warning that forcing them into unwanted paths leads to mediocre results.
Doimukh sub-divisional officer (SDO) Kipa Raja in his deliberations discussed various government facilities and assistance available for girls from birth. He emphasized on the role of parents in creating a supportive home environment for their daughters' physical, mental, and emotional growth.
Raja also highlighted the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and encouraged women to spread awareness and guide their daughters.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) deputy director Jaya Taba, spoke about the different schemes supporting girls under the WCD department. She mentioned initiatives like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Balika Samriddhi Yojana, CBSE Udaan, and the National Scheme of Incentives to girls for secondary education, all aimed at promoting girls' education and well-being.
Taba also shared information about helplines for women and children in distress. The Women Helpline number is 181, and the Childline number is 1098, both operational 24/7.
Postal assistant Pooja Kumari from Naharlagun provided details about the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. She explained that girls under 10 years old can open an account with a minimum yearly deposit of Rs 250 and a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakhs, with a 6-year lock-in period and maturity at 21 years.
As part of the awareness event, a volleyball match was held between adolescent girls and their mothers, with the mothers emerging victorious. Sanitary pads were also distributed to all participants to emphasize menstrual hygiene.
Earlier in the morning, the DC led the officers in planting fruit-bearing trees in the school campus. The event was attended by CDPO Doimukh Maya Murtem, PRI members, goan buras, Anganwadi workers among others.
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