Haryana villages to be awarded for improving sex ratio

Chandigarh: Villages in Haryana which bring maximum improvement in sex ratio and keep a check on female foeticide would be honoured with a cash award of Rs 1.50 lakh each, state health minister Anil Vij said on Saturday.

One village would be selected from every district for this award, Vij said.

The state minister said villages having population of 5,000 or above would be included in this category and the selection of these villages would be made on the basis of registration data collected by Axillary Nurse Midwives from January to December 2015.

The award money would be utilised for the empowerment of meritorious girls of the village concerned, Vij said in a statement issued here.

With Haryana infamous for having a skewed sex ratio, Vij said the amount for the cash award to be given to the village which achieves maximum improvement in sex ratio would be deposited in the account of the civil surgeon concerned of the district by March 2016.

A budget of Rs 36.50 lakh has been earmarked for this purpose during the current financial year.

He further said that those who furnish information about anyone involved in the illegal practice of female foeticide would be honoured with a cash award of Rs one lakh and his/her identity would also be kept secret.

The minister said the manufacturers of all ultrasound machines, their suppliers, mechanics and technicians would also be registered so as to keep a strict vigil.

He said that no one could open any ultrasound centre or clinic without their registration under the Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PC and PNDT Act).