Haryana's Gender Ratio Shows Alarming Decline in Early 2023

In a concerning development for gender equality advocates, Haryana's efforts to improve its sex ratio at birth (SRB) have faced a significant setback in early 2023. The state, which has long struggled with gender imbalance, recorded a seven-point decline in its SRB during the first quarter of the year, dropping from 921 to 914 girls per 1000 boys.

District-wise Disparities

The data reveals stark contrasts across districts. Jind emerges as a beacon of hope with an impressive SRB of 996, followed by Kurukshetra (963) and Sirsa (943). However, Bhiwani district presents a grimmer picture with an SRB of just 860, raising red flags about persistent gender discrimination in the region.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Between January and March 2023, Haryana registered 136,620 births, comprising 71,363 males and 65,257 females. Particularly noteworthy is Jind district, which recorded 4,773 births with near-perfect gender parity - 2,391 males and 2,382 females. In stark contrast, Bhiwani registered 4,741 births, with a significant skew towards male children (2,549 males versus 2,192 females).

Action and Intervention

Dr. Raghuvir Shandilya, Civil Surgeon of Bhiwani, attributes the decline to deeply rooted gender bias among orthodox communities. The district has identified 22 villages where the SRB has plummeted below 700, prompting targeted awareness campaigns against female feticide. 

The state government isn't taking these numbers lightly. Amit Kumar Agrawal, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, confirms that the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" program is under direct monitoring by the Chief Minister. Law enforcement has also stepped up, with 25 FIRs filed under the PC-PNDT Act in the first quarter alone.

Dr. Paleram Kataria, Deputy Civil Surgeon (PNDT) of Jind, highlights their proactive approach, noting that 40 raids have been conducted under the PC-PNDT Act over the past three years. These efforts seem to be bearing fruit in Jind, as evidenced by their leading position in the state's SRB rankings. 

While officials caution against drawing definitive conclusions from quarterly data, the numbers serve as an early warning system for regions requiring immediate intervention. The state's challenge now lies in replicating Jind's success across all districts while addressing the deep-seated social biases that continue to affect gender ratios.