MP: How daughters in Neemuch are breaking shackles of harmful social customs and joining mainstream
"When intentions are steely and the administration lends its support, even centuries-old shackles can be shattered." The Neemuch District Administration's innovative initiative, the 'Pankh Abhiyan' has today emerged as a beacon of hope for the daughters of the Banchhada community—girls who were once lost in the darkness of social ostracism and generational compulsions.
From the Shackles of Malpractices to the Pinnacle of Dignity
Historically, the Banchhada community has remained marginalized due to economic deprivation and certain exploitative social malpractices. For the girls of this region, compulsions such as involvement in the 'flesh trade' stood as the greatest obstacles in the path of their future.
However, by translating the core spirit of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) campaign into tangible action on the ground, the Neemuch District Administration has undertaken the mission to transform this curse into dignity through the 'Pankh' campaign.
The Dream of Wearing the Uniform Becomes Reality
The campaign's most significant achievement is the 'Sashakt Vahini' (Empowered Brigade) scheme. While just yesterday these very streets were haunted by the shadow of insecurity, today 14 daughters of this community are sweating it out in rigorous training to join the police and paramilitary forces.
The administration is providing them not only with free educational guidance but is also preparing them for national service through physical training. This is not merely a training program; it is a restoration of their self-respect.
Economic Freedom: Skills That Rewrote Their Destinies
Beyond education, the 'Pankh Abhiyan' has also served as a bridge toward economic self-reliance. In the financial year 2025-26, 30 women and girls were integrated into the mainstream economy through the Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI).
Training in trades such as animal husbandry, goat rearing, tailoring, beauty care, and spice processing has steered them away from 'earnings born of compulsion' and guided them toward 'earnings born of honest hard work.'
A Framework for Change at the Grassroots Level
The change is evident not merely in words, but in the statistics as well. The administration has established 26 centers/initiatives in villages with a high concentration of the Banchhada community... Special 'Help Centers' were established within Anganwadi centers.
Healthcare services were delivered to women at the grassroots level through forty-eight health check-up camps. A positive shift in community mindset was brought about through twenty-five awareness sessions and career guidance programs.
Collective Effort, Rewarding Results
This campaign exemplifies the effective coordination among various government departments and voluntary organizations. The 'Pankh' campaign has proven that if efforts are undertaken with the right direction and sensitivity, no community remains left behind.
The objective of this campaign is not merely to provide assistance, but to awaken within the daughters of the Banchhada community the self-confidence to script their own destinies. Today, stepping out of the confines of fear and compulsion, these young women are soaring into new horizons of education and employment.