Lok Sabha Question No. 79 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Prenatal Sex Determination
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: MOHANBHAI KALYANJIBHAI KUNDARIYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED Q UESTION NO. 79 TO BE ANSWERED ON   15 TH DECEMBER, 2017

## PRENATAL SEX DETERMI NATION

## 79. SHRI KUNDARIYA MOHAN BHAI KALYANJI BHAI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of steps taken by the Government to prevent prenatal determination of selective abortions in the country during the last three years along with success achieved therein;
- (b) whether the Government has taken note of the remarks of the Supreme Court against internet giants h asting content related to prenatal sex determination;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and
- (d)  t he  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check/block  availability  of  s content/advertisements on internet?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) : The  Government  of  India  besides  enactment  of  the  Pre -conception  and  Pre - natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, has adopted a multi - pronged strategy entailing schemes and programmes for awareness generation and advocacy measu res to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, pr and legislation.

The important measures taken by Government of India to strengthen the implementation  of  the  PC&PNDT  Act  are  regular  Regional  Review  cum Capacity  building programs,  National  Review,  allocation  of  fund  for  operationalization  of  PNDT  cells  un PIPs,  National  Inspection  and  Monitoring  Committee  visits,  development  of  Standard Operating Guidelines, sensitization of judiciary, letters written to States/UTs for ensuring strict compliance of direction of Hon'ble Supreme Court. The progress in implementation ov er last 3 years is at Annexure.

Contd……..

(b ) to( d) : Yes. I n this regard Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 16.11.2016 in a C ivil Writ Petition No. 341/ 2008 Dr. Sabu Mathew George Vs Union of Indian &Ors has directed Union  of  India  to  constitute  a  Nodal  Agency,  as  an  interim  arrangement,  that  can  rec complaints related to online sex selection e - advertisements and communicat e he same to the concerned  search  engines  for  regulating  and  removing  the  same  in  compliance  with  th preconception and prenatal determination of sex or sex selection, prohibited under PC&PND Act, 1994.

Accordingly  Union  of  India  has  constituted  a  Nodal Agency  at  the  national  level  to receive complaints related to illegal sex selection advertisements from public. Ministry directed  all  the  States/  UTs  to  constitute  Nodal  Agency  on  the  similar  lines  and  sh information  of  complaints  forwarde d  to  the  search  engines  for  redressal  (removal  of  illega material from website) with the Nodal Agency at the national leve l.

## Progress Report

|   S. No. | Indicators                               |   March, 2014. |   Up to June 2017 | Progress during march 2014 to June 2017   |
|----------|------------------------------------------|----------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Total registered facilities              |          49544 |             58338 | 8794                                      |
|        2 | On-going court cases under PC & PNDT Act |           1798 |              2636 | 838                                       |
|        3 | No. of cases disposed off                |            590 |              1222 | 632                                       |
|        4 | No. of convictions secured               |            192 |               421 | 166666666616 229                          |
|        5 | No. of medical licenses cancelled        |             81 |               118 | 37                                        |

## Annexure