Prepare policy for curbing child sex ratio:NAC to WCD Ministry

Speaking to reporters here, Secretary WCD Prem Narain said the NAC has made several recommendations including the formulation of a 'national policy' on the child sex ratio.

He said these recommendations will be deliberated upon in an Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee meeting on September 25.

"The NAC has said that we should prepare a national policy on child sex ratio. They have also made other recommendations like the counting should be done right at the time of birth," Narain said.

He explained that at present the number of girls in the 0-6 age group was compared with that of boys in the same group.

Another recommendation for the Ministry was to review those schemes which provide monetary incentive to families having girl child.

"One of the recommendations suggests that we should review these schemes as it was felt that this problem is not linked to poverty," Narain said. He added that the prejudices and problems existed even in moderate and higher income earning groups.

The WCD secretary said the NAC had also suggested that the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Test (PCPNDT) Act needs to be reviewed.

Currently, the Act does not penalise those who try to ascertain the gender of the foetus.

Narain said the NAC has also suggested that the Ministry should work on an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign to spread awareness about the declining child sex ratio and the gender imbalance that it was causing.