All Government officers and employees will take a pledge to eradicate gender bias and atrocities against women on August 8. In this respect, the General Administration Department (GAD) has issued a circular to all departments, Chairperson of Revenue Board, besides all departmental heads, divisional commissioners and collectors.
It has been stated in the letter issued by the Union Woman and Child Development Ministry to chief secretaries of all States, which has been enclosed with the circular, that decline was registered in the male-female ratio in all 27 States and Union Territories of the country during the last decade. To stop this imbalance of male-female ratio, oath will be taken on August 8, the circular added.
The letter of the Union Government said that this astonishing fact has come to the fore in the census 2011 of the country that the female-male ratio of children of 0-6 year group has been dropped to 914/1000 which was 927/1000 in the year 2001.
This sharp decline in the male-female ratio has been registered in the States of Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, which shows a pervading national proclivity prevalent in all classes and rural-urban areas.
Government employees at all levels of public administration have a significant role in implementing rules of the country and arresting the declining male-female ratio. Government employees at all levels were to take pledge on August 9, the day of historic ‘Quit India Movement’, to stop female foeticide. As August 9 is a public holiday on account of second Saturday, this oath will be administered to all State Government officers and employees on August 8.