<p>The district level committee that keeps a watch on sex determination has not been functional for at least three years now. With this, those wanting to abort the female foetus have a free hand, say experts. <br /><br />A senior member from the medical fraternity who was a part of the previously formed Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act committee, which has ceased to exist, said the absence of the panel was one of the reasons why the sex ratio was constantly going down. The state has just over 900 females for every 1,000 males at birth. “The National Family Health Survey - 4 (NFHS-4) statistics are alarming. If the government fails to act immediately, the consequences would be bad. We had asked the government to take measures to arrest the falling sex ratio when it was 950 females per 1,000 males. However, nothing has been done so far,” added the source. <br /><br />Dr M Rajini, deputy director, PCPNDT, Department of Health and Family Welfare, who agreed that there was a decline in the sex ratio said that the state has already started working out modalities. She said that as per the state statistics, the sex ratio at birth had dropped from 925 to 909 females for every 1,000 males. <br /><br />Citing a few reasons that could have led to such a fall, Dr Rajini said most parents prefer to have single child. “If the first child is a male, they usually do not go for the second child. Hence, there would be a disparity in the numbers.”<br /><br />Another senior official in the department said that the total sex ratio in Bengaluru (including those who have migrated) could be low as it is the males who usually migrate in search of jobs and hence the overall population of males is high. <br /><br />On July 16, 2016, the under secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare has written to the Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare seeking the formation of an appropriate authority for enforcement of the Act and appointment of a non-government representative as a member of this authority.<br /> <br />A notification issued by the government on June 3, 2016 has sough that State Inspection and Monitoring Committee and District level Inspection Monitoring Committee also be formed with immediate effect. <br />DH News Service</p>.<p>Sex ratio in Karnataka<br />According to NHFS-4 statistics, sex ratio of the total population (females per 1,000 males) is 963 in urban and 990 in rural areas of Karnataka. Sex ratio at birth for children born in the last five years (females per 1,000 males) is 875 in urban and 935 in rural. </p>
<p>The district level committee that keeps a watch on sex determination has not been functional for at least three years now. With this, those wanting to abort the female foetus have a free hand, say experts. <br /><br />A senior member from the medical fraternity who was a part of the previously formed Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act committee, which has ceased to exist, said the absence of the panel was one of the reasons why the sex ratio was constantly going down. The state has just over 900 females for every 1,000 males at birth. “The National Family Health Survey - 4 (NFHS-4) statistics are alarming. If the government fails to act immediately, the consequences would be bad. We had asked the government to take measures to arrest the falling sex ratio when it was 950 females per 1,000 males. However, nothing has been done so far,” added the source. <br /><br />Dr M Rajini, deputy director, PCPNDT, Department of Health and Family Welfare, who agreed that there was a decline in the sex ratio said that the state has already started working out modalities. She said that as per the state statistics, the sex ratio at birth had dropped from 925 to 909 females for every 1,000 males. <br /><br />Citing a few reasons that could have led to such a fall, Dr Rajini said most parents prefer to have single child. “If the first child is a male, they usually do not go for the second child. Hence, there would be a disparity in the numbers.”<br /><br />Another senior official in the department said that the total sex ratio in Bengaluru (including those who have migrated) could be low as it is the males who usually migrate in search of jobs and hence the overall population of males is high. <br /><br />On July 16, 2016, the under secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare has written to the Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare seeking the formation of an appropriate authority for enforcement of the Act and appointment of a non-government representative as a member of this authority.<br /> <br />A notification issued by the government on June 3, 2016 has sough that State Inspection and Monitoring Committee and District level Inspection Monitoring Committee also be formed with immediate effect. <br />DH News Service</p>.<p>Sex ratio in Karnataka<br />According to NHFS-4 statistics, sex ratio of the total population (females per 1,000 males) is 963 in urban and 990 in rural areas of Karnataka. Sex ratio at birth for children born in the last five years (females per 1,000 males) is 875 in urban and 935 in rural. </p>
