Sex ratio in Gujarat shows steady rise

Gujarat's skewed sex ratio (female to male ratio) has shown a noteworthy improvement in the period between 2002 and 2008, according to the annual registration survey conducted by the Registrar General of the Government of India. It has gone from 844 per 1000 in 2002, to 898 per 1000 in 2008.

Health minister Jay Narayan Vyas informed the media that  as per the said statistics indicated by the said survey, the sex ratio for Gujarat has changed from 837 per 1000 in 2001 to 844 in 2002, 862 in 2003, 855 in 2004, 844 in 2005, 865 in 2006, 891 in 2007 and 898 in 2008. "Though it is too early to speak about this, it is likely that the ratio for 2009 will go up to 905 females per 1000 males", he said.

Vyas said that these good results are due to chief minister Narendra Modi's 'Beti Bachao' and 'Beti Vadhavo' campaigns to
improve the gender ratio.

In 2010-11, he said, the Gujarat government undertook a special programme to prevent female foeticide, including setting up of district-level cells, compulsory registration of ultrasound machines, stricter implementation of the relevant Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (called P&PDT Act), and surprise checking of maternity homes and private clinics.

The minister emphasised on creating awareness about the ill-effects of an unhealthy sex ratio through hoardings, wall paintings, camps for couples, children's rallies, seminars and workshops. He advocated going all the way down to the level of civic wards and villages, with the co-operation of educational institutes like the IIMs as also the judiciary, police, and local government and non-government organisations and workshops, for the success of the campaign.