Sex ratio up in several dists

GIRLS AND BOYS Few districts record rise in birth of girls, with two crossing 1,000 mark

Several of Rajasthan’s districts have registered an impressive sex ratio at birth (SRB) between January and August this year, helping the state’s overall figure for number of females born per thousand males rise by 11 points from previous year’s data for the same period.

Two districts, Banswara and Churu, however, saw their SRB go past 1,000. At the same time, the SRB has declined in 10 districts, with the ratio below 900 in three — Kota (888), Sawai Madhopur (891) and Dungarpur (895).

As per the data released by the state health department’s pregnancy and child tracking system (PCTS), Banswara had 13,645 girls born until August as against 13,477 boys — a 1012:1000 SRB in favour of girls. Likewise, Churu district saw birth of 10,862 girls and 10,820 boys for 1004:1000 SRB.

The highest growth, however, was registered by Karauli (48), whose SRB this year went up to 952 from 904 last year.

These districts helped shore up the state’s overall sex ratio at birth by 11 points — from 930 girls per thousand boys to 941.

Social activist Rajan Choudhary said several districts with an increased SRB show that discrimination between boys and girls is “reducing” with help from awareness programmes such as the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign and the National Health Mission managing director Naveen Jain’s ‘Daughters are Precious’ campaign as well as its ‘Beti Panchayat’ programme at the rural level.

He said the increased is a sign that Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 was being implemented effectively, curbing sex determination. Choudhary calls for strict implementation of the Act in the three districts where the ratio is below 900. The 10 districts that registered a decline include Ajmer (-25), Baran (-25), Bharatpur (-7), Bundi (-10), Ganganagar (-19), Jhalawar (-24), Jhunjhunu (-7), Kota (-13), Nagaur (-29) and Sawai Madhopur (-29).

The NHM chief referred to the 2011 Census to point out that Rajasthan’s child sex ratio (0 to 6 years) jumped 32 points to reach 920 girls per 1,000 boys in 2017. “This shows the work done by us,” he said, adding that by 2021, they expect the CSR to reach 930. Jan-Aug 2017

Districts with ratio above 1,000 Banswara

Churu (Rajasthan’s overall SRB up from 930 to 941) Jan-Aug 2018

Districts that recorded an increase Karauli

Tonk Jaipur Pali Hanumangarh

Districts that witnessed decline Nagaur

Sawai Madhopur Ajmer Jhalawar Ganganagar

Districts with the SRB below 900 Kota

Sawai Madhopur Dungarpur

JAIPUR: SEX RATIO AT BIRTH

992 1012

904 952

973 944 920 891 963 938

901 888 920 891 Difference