Rio wrestler named ambassador, govt still to ink pact with Parineeti
Bollywood ctress was declared brand ambassador 13 months ago; dept now says will sign MoU in 3-4 days
CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar named Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik as the state’s brand ambassador for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet Beti BachaoBeti Padhao programme after she returned Wednesday morning from Rio de Janeiro.
While the 23-year-old wrestling champ is the second person to be named brand ambassador, the Khattar government is still to ink an agreement with another ‘daughter of Haryana’, Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra, who was the first to be associated with the campaign to promote the cause of girl child.
Parineeti Chopra, who hails from Ambala, was named as brand ambassador by the chief minister, just days before his government held a ‘Call for Action’ programme in Gurgaon in July 2015 under the flagship scheme, but she has become a “one-event wonder” for the state.
While her appointment had run into controversy on day one due to ego clash between the chief minister and one of his senior-most ministerial colleagues, the agreement has not been signed due to indecision of the state authorities in the past 13 months.
While the state government does not have to make any payment to the film actress, issues relating to travel expenses have delayed the formal agreement.
Women and child development director Renu Phulia, on being contacted, said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) is still to be signed. “There has been some difficulty relating to and fro expenditure, but things are being sorted out now. We will be able to sign the MoU in next 3-4 days,” she told Hindustan Times. The women and child department is the nodal agency for implementing the programme.
The choice of the film actress had faced opposition with health and sports minister Anil Vij, a five-time MLA from Ambala Cantonment, throwing a tantrum when the chief minister posted a tweet, welcoming her as the brand ambassador for the campaign. The minister had expressed his annoyance at not being consulted before the announcement and even went on to say that they “do not need any actress for this campaign”. Vij had also stayed away from the Gurgaon event where Parineeti Chopra was present.
The Beti-Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, aimed at ensuring survival, protection and empowerment of the girl child, was launched by the Prime Minister from Panipat in January last year. Haryana has one of the worst child sex ratios in the country.