Steps to check female foeticide in Manipur

Taking serious note of the widening male and female ratio in Manipur, Manipur government has taken up several measures to check female foeticide in the state, said state social welfare minister AK Meerabai on Tuesday.

She said that the practice of female foeticide, to identify the sex of the unborn foetus (through illegal sex selection tests) is punishable under law. The offenders can be either sentenced to jail or fined or both under the Pre Natal Diagnostic Technique Act 1994.

Meerabai said this while addressing the inaugural function of the three-day state level camp for empowerment of women at the training hall of Rural women’s and Children Dept Welfare Association at Taobungkhok.

Government of India enacted the act to check female foeticide which is prevalent in some parts of the country. As per the 2001 census report, child sex ratio of India in the age group of 0-6 years was 1000:927. But this figure changed to 1000:914 in 2011.

In view of the ever decreasing sex ratio, family welfare department has launched an intensive drive starting from this year under the Pre Natal Diagnostic Technique Act 1994 in government as well as private hospitals, the lone woman minister in Ibobi ministry said.

District-wise child sex ratio for Manipur in the same age group as per 2011 census report was 1000:943 in Imphal West district, 1000: 932 in Imphal East district, 1000:948 in Thoubal district, 1000:941 in Tamenglong district, 1000:945 in Churachandpur district, 1000:921 in Ukhrul district, 1000:912 in Senapati district, 1000:919 in Chandel district and 1000:919 in Bishnupur district.

PNDT Act 1994 was enforced in the state since 2003 only although the same Act was enforced at the National level since 1996.

Since then, NGOs and family welfare department have been organising awareness programmes about the Act and female foeticide, she added.

The camp was organized under the initiative of Manipur State Women’s Development Corporation. MLA R K Anand, chairperson of the board, Ch Leipaklotpi and director of social welfare department, L Ibobi attended the function.