Hry blames lack of enforcement by dists for fall in sex ratio at birth

CMOs directed to conduct at least two raids per week; replace non-performing nodal officers

- Pawan Sharma

CHANDIGARH: Alarmed by its showpiece "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" flagship programme taking a severe hit with Haryana's sex ratio at birth (SRB) plunging to its lowest in eight years, the Nayab Singh Saini-led government has identified "lack of enforcement" in several districts as a major "obstruction" in saving the girl child.

Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Save the girl child programme on January 22, 2015 at Panipat, it is for the first time that Haryana's battle against gender disparity has faced a major setback as the state recorded 910 female births per 1,000 males in 2024—a six-point drop from 916 in 2023.

At the core, this nationwide programme was to bring behavioural change in society towards birth and the rights of a girl child as the Census (2011) data showed that the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) between 0-6 years was at an all-time low of 918 at the national level. Improved SRB increases the CSR. The cumulative SRB of Haryana in 2015 was 876 and 900 in 2016. It rose to the highest 923 in 2019.

Top government sources say chief minister Nayab Singh Saini was displeased with the reported dip in the SRB. CM has now summoned a meeting on January 14, sending the health as well as the women and child development departments' mandarins into a tizzy.