ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): Yes. “Healthy States, Progressive India-Report on the ranks of States and UTs” have been released by NITI Aayog to nudge States to bring about the much required improvements in the Health sector with a focus to capture the annual incremental improvements by States. The report is available on the official website of NITI Aayog in:
http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/ document_publication/Healthy-States-Progressive-India-Report_0.pdf
(b): As per the above report Sex ratio at Birth (SRB) is substantially lower in almost all Larger States - 17 out of 21 States have SRB of less than 950 females per 1000 males. Further, SRB has declined in these States between the base year (2012-14) and reference year (2013-15), except for Bihar, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh where improvements in SRB were noted, and Jammu & Kashmir where it stagnated. Details are given in Annexure I
(c) & (d): Yes, in view of growing misuse of technology for sex selection leading to pre-birth elimination of females that mainly contributes towards the decline of sex ratio at Birth, Government of India is implementing Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act 1994.
The Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act 1994 regulates the use of Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques which has a potential of selection/ determination of sex of the foetus and prohibits the use of these diagnostic techniques for sex selection
The Government of India besides enactment of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, has adopted a multi-pronged strategy entailing schemes and programmes for awareness generation and advocacy measures to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation. The details of important measures taken by Government of India in this regard are at Annexure – II
Further, Government of India launched Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign (BBBP) in 2015 to address the declining child sex ratio and related issues of women empowerment over a life cycle continuum. The key element of the scheme includes nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral action in selected 161 districts at present. The Government of India has decided to expand the BBBP scheme in all 640 districts (as per census 2011) in the country through Alert District Media Campaign and extending multi-sectoral interventions in 405 districts having low child sex ratio.
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