To improve the sex ratio in the State, Haryana Government has now sought help of neighbouring Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to curb sex determination tests.
Haryana, which had the worst sex ratio among States in the 2011 Census, is aiming to achieve the target of more than 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.
In separate letters addressed to his counterparts in neighbouring States on Friday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar urged them to initiate necessary steps so that sex determination tests could be curbed in the region.
The Chief Minister has also attached a brief note and a presentation with his letters for their perusal and share the experiences of Haryana adding, “I am confident that concerted and coordinated efforts of both State Governments will help in saving thousands of girls.”
Manohar lal has drawn their attention towards the issue saying, “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”.
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 i.e. Police, Health, Food and Drugs Administration, Prosecution, Women and Child Development and Magistracy, had helped improve sex ratio in the State. Manohar lal urged them to direct all their concerned authorities to take strong steps in coordination with authorities in Haryana, which would surely lead to improve sex ratio in both the States. He added that instructions in this regard have already been issued to all concerned in Haryana.
“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, said he adding this was made possible due to strenuous efforts put in by all Deputy Commissioners since the launch of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat in January 2015.
While pointing out that more than 200 FIRs were registered against the violators of PNDT/MTP Acts during last about nine months, Manohar lal said that more than 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 also appreciated the full support extended by DCs and SPs of their States for making these cross border raids successful.
“Our experience has demonstrated very clearly that notorious elements operate in contiguous districts in neighbouring states also to indulge in sex selective abortions”, he added.
A massive crackdown was launched to take action against elements selling sex selection drugs and MTP kits, which were freely available earlier. During last one year, he had been reviewing the programme with DCs and SPs through video conferences, said the Chief Minister in the communication.
Manohar lal added that he did create a small Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Secretariat in his office to regularly monitor implementation of this campaign with DCs and all concerned.