New Delhi: Admitting that the skewed child sex ratio in Delhi was a matter of concern, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday said the government has initiated a range of welfare measures to improve the gender disparity.
Citing government statistics in the last five years,
Dikshit said, in 2008, the sex ratio had improved, but it
dropped in 2010 despite introduction of a number schemes like
Laadli Yojna, to save the girl child.
As per census 2011 data, Delhi's sex ratio of children up
to six years of age has dropped to 866 girls per 1,000 boys
from 868 girls in 2001. The child sex ratio of Delhi is much
below the national average of 914.
"The female and male sex ratio in Delhi is not healthy.
In 2008, we had about 1,004 females against 1,000 males. But,
2010 witnessed a drop. It is surely a matter of concern,"
Dikshit said at a function to celebrate the National Girl
Child Day.
Dikshit said that despite a ban, some nursing homes
continue to conduct prenatal sex determination tests and added
that her government was determined to come down hard on them.
"Female foeticide is also a moral and social issue. We
appeal to people to save the girl child. The government is
chalking out a multi-pronged strategy to address the problem
and achieve 100 per cent success," she said.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Kiran Walia yesterday
had blamed inadequate health infrastructure in neighbouring
states for the decline in number of girls against per thousand
boys in the city.
She had said lack of proper medical infrastructure in
neighbouring states forces pregnant women there to come to
Delhi for deliveries and when a baby dies during or after
delivery, it reflects on statistics of Delhi.
Walia today said the government has zero tolerance for
killing girl child.
Over 2,000 women and anganwadi workers today celebrated
the National Girl Child Day at the function organised by
the Delhi government where a number of anganwadi workers were
awarded for their performances.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 15:57