'Haryana's child sex ratio improves to 889 girls per 1,000 boys'

Panchkula: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said that with efforts made by the state government and effective implementation of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) programme, the child sex ratio in the state has improved to 889 girls per 1,000 boys.

"Efforts are being made to further take it (child sex ratio) to above 900," he said, while flagging off the 'Sashakt Beti Sashakt Bharat' awareness march organised by the India Media Centre, Haryana.

About 150 girl students from 18 districts of Haryana are participating in the awareness march being organised to generate knowledge among the people regarding women's empowerment.

The awareness march would pass through 23 places in twelve districts before culminating at Raj Ghat in New Delhi, on January 14.

According to the 2014 census, the child sex ratio of Haryana was 846 girls per 1,000 boys.

The Chief Minister said that since 2005, the sex ratio in Haryana had been on the decline, creating a lot of imbalance in the society.

Though everybody, including politicians and educationists were aware about the ill-effects of this problem but it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took upon himself the task of eradicating the menace of female foeticide and setting right the skewed sex ratio in the country, Khattar said.

Modi had launched the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (BBBP) Programme from Panipat on January 22 last year.

Giving a push to this programme, the state government took it as a mission and reviewed the sex ratio every month.

"This, together with the other steps taken by the Haryana government, has helped in increasing the sex ratio to 889 girls per 1,000 boys in November last year, which is a matter of pride," he said.

Besides the government, participation by all sections of the society, including educationists, social and non-government organisations, is necessary to achieve the goal, he added.

He said that the state government was committed to eradicating crime from the society.

An atmosphere has been created in the state against the heinous act of female foeticide, he said.

The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act is being strictly implemented and those found involved in female foeticide have been put behind bars after registering cases against them, he said.

With a view to empowering women, separate women's police stations have been set up in all districts to enable women victims to lodge complaints without any fear, he said.

However, much more needs to be done in this direction, he added.