Haryana Seeks Help from Neighbouring States To Improve Sex Ratio

The Haryana government has sought help of neighbouring Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to curb sex determination tests, with the aim of improving the sex ratio in the state. In separate letters addressed to his counterparts in these states, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar urged them to initiate necessary steps so that sex determination tests could be curbed in the region. "I am confident that concerted and coordinated efforts of both state governments will help in saving thousands of girls," Khattar said in the letters, while attaching a brief note and a presentation with his letters.

Haryana, which had the worst sex ratio among states in the 2011 Census, is aiming to achieve the target of 950 females per 1,000 males in the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by the end of year 2016. It crossed the 900-mark in sex ratio for the first time in 10 years in December last year. Deep desire for male child in the society coupled with complex nexus of unscrupulous elements involved in sex determination and female foeticide resulted in skewed sex ratio in the state," Khattar pointed out.

He said that the strategy adopted in Haryana, which included rigorous implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, by coordinated efforts of all departments including police, health, food and drugs administration, prosecution, women and child development and magistracy, had helped improve sex ratio in the state.

"Haryana had lowest child sex ratio in the country as per census 2011, but now that has crossed the benchmark SRB of 900 for the first time in December 2015," Khattar said, adding that a massive crackdown was launched to take action against elements selling sex selection drugs and MTP kits, which were freely available earlier. Over 200 cases (FIRs) were registered against the violators of PNDT/MTP Acts during last about nine months.

"Over 25 FIRs were got registered after joint raids in coordination with authorities in bordering states. These included more than seven in various districts of Punjab, eight each in districts of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and one each in districts of Hanumangarh and Jhunjhnu in Rajasthan," he said. Sex determination tests, though illegal, are rampant in Punjab too.

Source-IANS