Bhopal: The skewed sex ratio in several
districts of Madhya Pradesh has forced ruling BJP government
to launch the 'Beti Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Girl Child
campaign) to raise awareness and address this nagging issue
which may pose social and demographic problems in the state.
The districts where the sex ratio is alarmingly declining
include: Bhind-838; Morena-839; Gwalior-862; Datia-875;
Shivpuri-877; Chhattarpur-884; Sagar-896, Vidisha-897; Raisen-
899; Ashoknagar-900; Tikamgarh-901; Sheopur-902; Panna-907;
Guna-910; Bhopal-911 and Hoshangabad-912, official sources
said.
The position in the remaining districts is also not very
encouraging. Hence, State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
not only launched this drive from Datia district recently but
also set the theme of the State's Foundation Day programme on
the grave issue.
Besides dipping sex ratio, the child sex ratio (number of
girls in the age group of 0-6 per 1000 male child) is also
declining in the state, sources said.
The child sex ratio was 967 in the year 1961, while in
the year 2011 it became 912 in Madhya Pradesh. The healthy
child sex ratio at the time of birth should be 952 or more,
experts said.
Except for tribal district of Dindori, where the child
sex ratio stands at 1006 per 1000 males, the situation is
highly imbalanced elsewhere and urgent steps are needed to
arrest the decline, which may lead to major social problems in
the near future, they said.
Both veteran singer Asha Bhosle and yesteryear Dream Girl
Hema Malini, who were in the city for the State Day
celebrations appealed to the masses to save the girl child by
highlighting their own success stories.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 04, 2011, 10:56