Though
sex ratio in the country has improved from 927 in 1991 to 940 in 2011
as per Census 2011(Prov.), Child Sex Ratio has dipped from 945 females per thousand males in 1991 to 914 females per 1000 males in 2011.
Some of the reasons for female foeticide are
son preference, low status of women, social and financial security
associated with sons, socio-cultural practices including dowry &
violence against women, small family norm and consequent misuse of
diagnostic techniques with the intention of female foeticide.
Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to curb female foeticide in
the country. For prohibition of sex selection, before and after
conception, and for regulation of prenatal diagnostic techniques, the
Government has enacted a comprehensive legislation the Pre-conception
and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act,
1994, further amended in 2003.
The measures include the following:-
· The
Government have intensified effective implementation of the said Act
and amended various rules covering provision for sealing, seizure and
confiscation of unregistered ultrasound machines and punishment against
unregistered clinics. Regulation of use of portable ultrasound machines
within the registered premises only has been notified. Restriction on
medical practitioners to conduct ultrasonography at
maximum of two ultrasound facilities within a district has been placed.
Registration fees have been enhanced. Rules have been amended to
provide for advance intimation in change in employees, place, address or
equipment.
· The
Government has requested all the State/UT Governments to strengthen
implementation of the Act and take timely steps to stop use of illegal
sex determination.
· Hon’ble Prime
Minister has urged the Chief Ministers of all the States to provide
personal leadership to reverse the declining trend in child sex ratio
and address the neglect of the girl child through focus on education and
empowerment
· Ministry
of Health & Family Welfare has intensified efforts to exhort the
States and UTs to pay utmost attention to serious implementation of the
PC&PNDT Act.
· The Central Supervisory Board (CSB) under the PNDT Act has been reconstituted and regular meetings are being held.
· Matter
has been taken up with the Ministry of Communication and Information
Technology to block sex selection advertisement on websites.
· The
National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) have been
reconstituted and inspections of ultrasounds diagnostic facilities have
been intensified. Inspection have been carried out in many states
including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
· The
Government is rendering financial support to the States and UTs for
Information, Education and Communication campaigns and for strengthening
structure for the implementation of the Act under the National Rural
Health Mission.
· States
have been advised to focus on District/Blocks/Villages with low Child
Sex Ratio to ascertain the causes, plan appropriate Behaviour Change Communication campaigns and effectively implementation provisions of the PC&PNDT Act.
· States
are undertaking various Information, Education and Communication (IEC)
activities to create awareness about the Act including public messages
through print & electronic media, capacity building workshops for programme managers
and judicial officers, Grant in Aid to Non-Governmental Organizations
for community mobilization and involvement of religious leaders for
awareness generation etc.
This information was given by Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Shri Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on March 5, 2013.
from-
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting