Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 21: Strengthening measures to curb the menace of illegal sex determination in various USG centers across the state, the Government has enhanced the reward for the whistle blowers providing information about such activities from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.
Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma said this while chairing a Thematic workshop on public private partnership to restore gender balance and ensure effective implementation of PC-PNDT Act here at RIHFW, Nagrota.
The workshop was organised by RRC-VHAI, in collaboration with National Rural Health Mission and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI and attended by prominent citizens members of Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) functioning as Regional Resource Centre (RRC), Senior officers from Health and Family Welfare, NRHM, NGOs and senior consultants of various institutions.
The workshop dwelt at length on declining sex ratio and measures thereof to capture the trend in light of PC&PNDT Act and Public Private Partnership to restore Gender Balance, Social aspects of PNDT and other related issues in implementing the act in letter & spirit.
Mr Sharma said that world population has touched seven billion mark and India is a country having second largest population after China. He said at the time of independence, total population of India was 36 crore and as per the census-2010-11 it has touched 125 crore and J&K population is also over 125 lakh.
He appealed to all the sections of the society to help in curbing the menace of female felicide. “The recent figures of census are eye opener for all of us. We have to give serious thought on this issue and take corrective measures to improve the ratio”, he added. He asked the people particularly ASHA’s to create awareness among the masses against the female foeticide and gender inequality.
“Sex ratio in J&K has come down to an alarming 883 females/1000 males. There is a need to act tough on perpetrators of female killing and besides, punishment, registration of such clinics can be cancelled who violate the PC&PNDT Act,” he added.
Assuring necessary logistic support to the filed functionaries for carrying out different social activities in the state, the Minister said that Government was keen to promote healthcare in collaboration with organizations willing to render cooperation. He suggested that doctors and other concerned institutions should also be invited in such seminars at district, tehsil and block levels which can prove beneficial for both the organizations in improving the capabilities of manpower.
Earlier, Mission Director, HRHM, Dr Yash Pual Sharma briefed about the overall scenario of sex ratio and preventive measures initiated to deal with the menace of female foeticide and illegal sex determination. He apprised that awareness campaigns are being conducted to educate the people about the importance of saving the girl child and also maintaining a healthy gender balance in the society.
Later, the Minister also released a souvenir “Guidelines for devolution of functions to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in respect of Health Department.
Among others Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr Madhu Khullar, Deputy Director (Central) Dr Baldev Raj Sharma, Superintendent Gandhinagar & Sarwal Hospital, representatives of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI, BMOs, NGOs, social workers and senior doctors and field functionaries were also present on the occasion.
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