Responding to the letter of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Gulam Nabi Azad, Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that he will personally review the enforcement of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, in the State and beef up checking of sex determination tests forthwith. Chief Minister expressed concern over the practice of sex determination and pre-natal tests in some parts of the country and assures Union Minister with all possible help to curve such inhuman activities.
Chief Minister said that State had completely banned the sex determination tests making the same a cognizable offence and all clinics carrying such tests had been closed down. He said that the State Government had launched an ambitious scheme ‘Beti Hai Anmol’ to sensitize people about the decreasing population of girl child causing population imbalances and creating socio-cultural problems. He said that under the programme, a sum of Rs. 5,100 was being deposited in the name of new born girl child at the time of her birth for disbursement with interest on attaining the age of 18 years. He said that with a view to create general awareness at the grass root level, State Government was providing special development grant to the gram panchayats with highest population of girl child. He said that ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojna’, ‘Mother Teresa Matri Shakti Sambal Yojna’, ‘Matri Shakti Bima Yojna’ were some of other schemes aimed at women empowerment.
Prof. Dhumal said that State Government would implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, vigorously and check any sex determination test sternly. He said that State Government had also made provision of providing cash prizes to any individual leading to information with regard to carrying of sex determination test. He said that State was live to the decreasing population of the girl child and had been taking effective steps from time to time to motivate people to protect the girl child. He said that as per the latest information released by the Census Operations 2011, the female sex ratio had improved in the state substantially and record, increase had been registered in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti of the State. He assured the Union Minister that the State was determined to curb sex determination and sex selective abortions at all costs and not allow that such practices take place in any manner.
