New Delhi: The Government of Delhi launched the 'Laadli Scheme' with an aim to curb female foeticide and enhance the social status of the girl child by promoting their education and protecting them from discrimination and deprivation.

The Government has been quite successful in achieving what it aimed when the scheme was launched.

In the first year of its implementation, more than one lakh girl students registered themselves under the scheme in the Government-aided schools of the capital. MCD schools also witnessed an increase in the number of girl students.

"The scheme has got a tremendous response from the Government schools. What is encouraging is that the schools run by the MCD have also seen an increase in the intake of girl students", said an official from the Social Welfare Department.

The news has come in at a time when the capital is struggling with a dwindling gender ratio. As per the last census, there are 886 girls per 1,000 boys in the capital against a national average of 927 girls per 1,000 boys.

Under this programme, the Government deposits Rs.10,000 in the name of girl child at time of her birth and subsequently deposits an amount of Rs.5000 each at the time of her admission to Class I, VI, IX, X and XII.

An accumulated amount of approximately Rs.1 lakh becomes eligible to girl child on attaining the age of 18 years and at least passing out 10th standard.

The scheme is being implemented in association with the State Bank of India (SBI) which serves as an authorised agency for the secure maintenance of deposit money in phases by the Government.