The Power of Lakshmi

↵^a In some years, different payout amounts for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST).

↵^b Or SC or Other Backward Classes (OBC) if nontaxpayer.

↵^c Rs.21,206 for urban areas, Rs.15,976 for rural areas.

↵^d Rs.24,000 in urban areas, Rs.20,000 in rural areas.

↵^e No restriction, but families with one girl younger than three given first priority; second priority for families with two children where second girl is three or younger.

↵^f Only second girl child is eligible (immediate coverage with twin girls).

↵^g Three if all-girl triplets.

↵^h Since 2008 does not apply to first girl, but required for second girl.

↵ⁱ No restriction in principle, but program severely supply constrained.

Notes: The terminal benefit is paid through an insurance maturity cover initiated at the time of birth.

Notes: Kaccha and Pucca houses refer to unengineered and engineered dwelling-place construction. In the left panel, pre and post refer to the periods 2004–2007 and 2009–2012. In the right panel, pre and post refer to the periods 2010–2012 and 2014–2016.

Notes: DLHS samples. Outcome variables are isgirl (Panel A) and isbirth (Panel B). DID estimates compare the change in each outcome between 2004–2007 and 2009–2012 in Fatehgarh Sahib with the corresponding changes in the control districts. Controls: child’s birth order, mother’s age and education, household’s caste, religion, location (rural or urban), and an indicator of dwelling construction type (wealth proxy). Alternative control groups comprise states that were surveyed in 2012/13 and, respectively, had no girl-child CCT operating during the period (“None”), had a girl-child CCT but the status of the CCT did not change (“No Changes”), and are culturally similar to Punjab (“Northwest”). The Punjab sample includes 6,701 mothers; the None sample, 42,114; the No Changes sample, 31,320; and the Northwest sample, 16,146. p-values in parentheses. Census sample. The outcome variables are share of girls in the zero-to-six–year-old population (Panel A) and the size of the zero-to-six population (Panel B). The DID estimates compare the change in each outcome between 2001 and 2011 in Sirhind with the corresponding changes in the other blocks in Punjab. The controls are male and female literacy rates, labor force participation by gender, rural population share, and scheduled caste or tribe share, and block fixed effects. The treated area is the Sirhind block and the treatment period is 2011. p-values in parentheses.

Notes: The DID estimates compare the change in each outcome between the periods 2004–2007 and 2009–2012 in Fatehgarh Sahib with the corresponding changes in the other Punjabi districts. The controls are the child’s birth order, mother’s age and education, household’s caste, religion, location (rural or urban), and an indicator of dwelling construction type (wealth proxy). The treated area is Fatehgarh Sahib and the treatment period is 2009–2012. The sample includes 6,701 mothers in Punjab. p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.

Notes: DLHS sample of mothers who responded to the fertility survey. The outcome variable is a binary indicator for whether a mother desired a son at the next birth. The controls are the number of daughters from previous births, mother’s age, education, religion, caste, and a proxy for household wealth. p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.

Notes: The DID estimates compare the change in each outcome between the periods 2010–2012 and 2014–2016 in Fatehgarh Sahib with the corresponding changes in the control districts. The controls are the child’s birth order, mother’s age and education, household’s caste, religion, location (rural or urban), and an indicator of dwelling construction type (wealth proxy). The treated area is Fatehgarh Sahib and the treatment period is 2014–2016. The sample includes 6,102 mothers in Punjab. p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.

Notes: DLHS 07/08 & 12/13 sample in Columns 1–4 include girls aged two years or older in Punjab. Outcome variables Imm 1 – 3 are binary indicators for the recorded vaccine doses. Imm 1 covers BCG and DPT 1; Imm 2 adds DPT 2–3 and Polio 1–3 to the earlier doses; Imm 3 includes all previous doses and the Measles vaccine. Outcome variable breastfeeding is a binary indicator for whether the child was breastfed within three days after birth. DID estimates compare the change in girls’ immunization and breastfeeding between 2004–2006 and 2009–2011 in Fatehgarh Sahib district with the corresponding changes in the control districts. Controls: child’s birth order, mother’s age and education, household’s caste, religion, location and an indicator of dwelling construction type (wealth proxy). p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses. DLHS 2012/13 and NFHS 2015/16 sample in Columns 5 and 6 comprise all five-to-seven–year-olds in the surveyed households. isgirl5 is the share of girls in the selected age group and isn is a binary indicator for whether a girl belonging to this age cohort is currently attending school. DID estimates compare the change in outcomes for birth cohorts between 2000–2002 and 2009–2011 in Fatehgarh Sahib district with the corresponding changes in the control districts. Controls: child’s age, household head’s education, caste, religion, location, and an indicator of household wealth. p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.

Notes: DLHS 07/08 and NFHS 15/16 sample comprise 8–14–year-old girls in the surveyed households. isn is a binary indicator for whether a girl belonging to this age cohort is currently attending school and yos is grades completed. DID estimates compare the change in outcomes for birth cohorts between 1994–1999 and 2002–2007 in Fatehgarh Sahib district with the corresponding changes in the control districts. Controls: child’s age, household head’s education, caste, religion, location, and an indicator of household wealth. p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.

Notes: DLHS sample of mothers (6,701) who responded to the prenatal care questionnaire. The outcome variable is a binary indicator for whether a mother received antenatal care or reported having a problem at her most recent pregnancy. DID estimates compare the change in each outcome during 2004–2007 and 2009–2012 in Fatehgarh Sahib with the corresponding changes in the control districts. Added controls include mother’s age and education, household’s caste, religion, location (rural or urban), and an indicator of dwelling construction type (wealth proxy). p-values based on CR standard errors in parentheses.