Bhubaneswar: Even because the State has applied the Modi authorities’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, scheme within the all of the 30 districts, the conspicuous indicators of the battle of sexes have been nonetheless witnessed in lots of districts in Odisha, the place the intercourse ratio at beginning had dipped under the 2001 census stage.
As the nation is celebrating the National Girl Child Day on Sunday, the most recent information accessible with the State Health Department factors to an evolving concern in as many as 11 districts in Odisha, the place the intercourse ratio at beginning had turned alarmingly skewed for the lady baby.
GENDER GAP DISTRICTS
The intercourse ratio at beginning in Odisha in 2019-20 stood at 944 as towards 941 in 2011 and 953 in 2001. As many as 11 districts – Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh and Sambalpur had recorded a decrease Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) vis-à-vis the common within the State.
The nagging concern is 9 of the eleven districts had a SRB which is decrease than the 2011 census figures.
THE SKEWED DISTRICTS
Boudh (873) 2011 (978)
Cuttack (911) 2011 (914)
Dhenkanal (863) 2011 (877)
Gajapati (901) 2011 (967)
Jagatsinghpur (910) 2011 (929)
Khordha (909) 2011 (916)
Malkangiri (919) 2011 (995)
Nabarangpur (928) 2011 (998)
Sambalpur (923) 2011 (940)
UNFAIR TREND: While Boudh appears to be on the Nayagarh manner, Cuttack, district headquarters Khordha and Jagatsinghpur have been the ordinary offender districts –so far as SRB is worried. The SRB within the districts is on the wane for the reason that 2001 census. Two-decades have handed however the gender hole bridge grows longer right here.
The districts like Gajapati, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri have recorded a drop in 2019-20 solely. And they should be on the watch record of the policymakers.
Though Nayagarh, which had rocked the nationwide headlines in 2007 for large-scale foeticides, had a low SRB of 891 in 2019-20, the constructive information is the district had posted an enchancment compared to 2011 proportion of 855 lady youngsters per 1000 male baby.
Similarly, Ganjam, the house district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has additionally recorded a decrease SRB of 927 vis-à-vis 908 in 2011.
(The map under highlights the districts having low baby intercourse ratio in Odisha)
The Map Corresponds to 2011 census information solely(Note: The gender hole is taken into account acceptable when the proportion stands at 952 lady youngsters per 1000 male baby).
GENDER NEUTRAL DISTRICTS
When the large developed cities took a down stride, two tribal and backward districts within the State had change into a torchbearer of gender-neutrality in 2019-20. The tribal districts of Kandhamal and Koraput had exhibited a SRB –the place the proportion of lady baby stood increased than the males.
Kandhamal (1012) 2011 (962)
Koraput (1005) 2011 (979)
Deogarh (1030) 2011 (927) –
The district of Deoghar had posted a decline through the decade resulted in 2011. But a wise rise witnessed within the decade that adopted (2019-20).
“The society in Odisha is still gender-biased. Every year the State reports cases of girl child abandonment from many places, which explains the attitude of the society. Many girl children die due to sex discrimination in the State. Besides, sex determination and female foeticide is another prime reason behind the dip in sex ratio at birth in the districts,” noticed Rituparna Mohanty, social activist and feminist.
WHODUNIT: SEX DISCRIMINATION OR DETERMINATION?
As per Dr Sibabrata Das, Department of Applied Geography, Ravenshaw University,
“A fall in sex ratio at birth (SRB) is directly linked to sex determination and female foeticide alone. A study of SRS data since 2004-2011 reveals a big gap in SRB between urban and rural areas in the State, which indicate the prevalence of sex determination and female foeticide in Odisha.”
FEMALE FOETICIDE CASES
As per Odisha police data for the interval of 2015 – 2019, the State had not recorded a single feminine foeticide case. The State Police had reported practically 2-3 miscarriage instances over time and one infanticide case within the yr 2016.
“The State Government has a zero-tolerance policy towards female foeticide in Odisha. The PCPNDT department is directed to conduct raids and seal the ultrasonic clinics indulged in sex determination. We have taken up many programmes like Biju Kanya Ratan Yojana. Our programme ‘Kanya Sambhardhana Yojana’ in Nayagarh has helped in increasing the SRB over the years there. I will soon look into the details given,” mentioned State WCD Minister Tukuni Sahu.
INSIDER’S TAKE
As per a senior functionary on the State PCPNDT cell,
“Not carrying out the proper audit by the district administrations has in a way provided help to the sonographers in many districts. As per the Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, there is audit form called F. A duly filled F-form has the checks and balances to detect the use of sonography for sex selection. Ultrasonic clinics deliberately left many vital columns blank to defeat the purpose of the PCPNDT Act. Only a proper audit can foil the menace.”
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