Lok Sabha Question No. 4075 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-09
Subject: Skewed Sex Ratio
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KIRRON KHER, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, KAMAL NATH

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4075 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH DECEMBER, 2016

## SKEWED SEX RATIO

## 4075. SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA: SHRI KAMAL NATH:

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

- (a) whether there has been a drop in the child sex ratio as per the latest census report, if so the details thereof;
- (b) whether the reasons for the adverse child sex ratio has been studied and reported, if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the observed decline in sex ratio;
- (c) whether the Union Government is aware about the skewed sex ratio in the State of Madhya Pradesh;
- (d) if so, whether most of clinics inMadhya Pradesh are using portable ultrasound machines to illegally conduct foetal sex determination tests resulting in skewed sex ratio in several districts of Madhya Pradesh; and
- (e) whether the Government's decision on ban on sex determination tests across the country have been widely  and openly violated by the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, if so, further action the Government proposes to take in this regard?

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

- (a): Yes. As per the Census, 2011 , the child sex ratio has shown decline from 927 females per thousand males in 2001 to 918 females per thousand males in 2011. The State/U T-wise details are at annexure .
- (b) : There are no studies conduc ted by Government on reasons for adverse child sex ratio. However, the reasons cited for observed decline in sex ratio are -son preference and the belief that it is only the son who can perform the last rites, that lineage and inheritance run themale line, sons will look after parents in old age, men are the bread winners etc. Exo dowry demand is another reason for female foeticide/infanticide.  Small family norm coup with easy availability of sex determination tests may be a catalyst i n the declining child sex ratio, further facilitated by easy availability of Pre - conception sex selection facilities.

Contd……

(c) : Sir, as per Census 2011, the sex ratio in the State of Madhya Pradesh has shown gr from 919 females per thousand males in 2001 to 931 females per thousand males in 2011.

(d) & (e) : As per information received from State of Madhya Pradesh, no porta ble ultrasound machines are being illegally used to conduct foetal sex determination tests resulting i child  sex  ratio  in  several  districts  of  Madhya  Pradesh.  There  are  no  cases  of  wide  an violation of ban on sex determination tests, as repor ted by the State Government of Madhya Pradesh.

…………..

## Annexure

| S. No.   | States/UTs           |   2001 |   2011 |
|----------|----------------------|--------|--------|
|          | India                |    927 |    918 |
| 1        | Jammu & Kashmir      |    941 |    862 |
| 2        | Himachal Pradesh     |    896 |    909 |
| 3        | Punjab               |    798 |    846 |
| 4        | Chandigarh           |    845 |    880 |
| 5        | Uttarakhand          |    908 |    890 |
| 6        | Haryana              |    819 |    834 |
| 7        | Delhi                |    868 |    871 |
| 8        | Rajasthan            |    909 |    888 |
| 9        | Uttar Pradesh        |    916 |    902 |
| 10       | Bihar                |    942 |    935 |
| 11       | Sikkim               |    963 |    957 |
| 12       | Arunachal Pradesh    |    964 |    972 |
| 13       | Nagaland             |    964 |    943 |
| 14       | Manipur              |    957 |    930 |
| 15       | Mizoram              |    964 |    970 |
| 16       | Tripura              |    966 |    957 |
| 17       | Meghalaya            |    973 |    970 |
| 18       | Assam                |    965 |    962 |
| 19       | West Bengal          |    960 |    956 |
| 20       | Jharkhand            |    965 |    948 |
| 21       | Odisha               |    953 |    941 |
| 22       | Chhattisgarh         |    975 |    969 |
| 23       | Madhya Pradesh       |    932 |    918 |
| 24       | Gujarat              |    883 |    890 |
| 25       | Daman & Diu          |    926 |    904 |
| 26       | Dadra & Nagar Haveli |    979 |    926 |
| 27       | Maharashtra          |    913 |    894 |
| 28       | Andhra Pradesh       |    961 |    939 |
| 29       | Karnataka            |    946 |    948 |
| 30       | Goa                  |    938 |    942 |
| 31       | Lakshadweep          |    959 |    911 |
| 32       | Kerala               |    960 |    964 |
| 33       | Tamil Nadu           |    942 |    943 |
| 34       | Puducherry           |    967 |    967 |
| 35       | A & Nicobar Islands  |    957 |    968 |

Child Sex Ratio as per Census (2001 & 2011)

Source: Primary Census Abstract -2011 India