After bearing the ignominy of being the state with the lowest sex ratio in the entire country for decades, Punjab now claims a dramatic increase in the number of girl children compared to 798 girls per 1000 boys reported in the 2001 Census. State health and family welfare minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, on Saturday, quoted new,
pre-census statistics which show that the statewide Child Sex Ratio (zero to six years) has risen by 98 to 896 girls per 100 boys since she took office in 2007.
Ms Chawla claimed the spectacular improvement in the CSR has been possible through increased community support alongside an iron-fisted implementation of the Pre Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act. “The law is being strictly enforced to curb the menace of female foeticide,” the minister said during a review meeting in Chandigarh. As part of the policing strategy introduced by Ms Chawla, some 401 of the 1327 registered ultrasound centres in the state were booked for illegalities and another 22 centres were forced to shut shop. According to her legal action had been initiated in 109 instances of which 21 had already culminated in convictions. The state health department also gave cash awards (Rs 150,000 each) to 83 village panchayats that had achieved CSRs of 1000 or more.
The health minister’s claims have however been questioned by voluntary organisations and experts.