Lok Sabha Question No. 3364 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Female Foeticide
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Chirag Paswan, P. C. Mohan, Keshari Devi Patel, Kanakmal Katara

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3364 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH MARCH, 2020

## FEMALE FOETICIDE

## 3364. SHRI CHIRAG KUMAR PASWAN: SHRI P.C. MOHAN: SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL: SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA:

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

(a) the details of steps being taken by the Government to check female foeticide in the country, State/UT - wise including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, K arnataka and Rajasthan;

- (b) the number of illegal pre - natal sex determination centres identified during the last three years in the country, State/UT -wise, district - wise and the action taken against such centres;
- (c) whether such illegal pre - natal sex determination centres have been banned, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to spread awareness among the public against this social menace;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any complaintsagainst  doctors,  nurses  and  other Government staff for running private nursing homes or hospitals or working there; and
- (f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  action  taken  by the Gov rnment  thereon  along  with  the number of doctors suspended or removed fro m the service?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): In view of the declining Child Sex Ratio and Sex Ratio at Birth the Government India  enacted  the  Pre -conception  and  Pre - natal  D iagnostic  Techniques  (Prohibition  of  Sex Selection) Act, 1994 and Rules thereof. The Act prohibits the misuse of Pre - natal diagnostic techniques for determination of sex of the foetus leading to female foeticide and regula use of pre - conception and pre - natal diagnostic techniques for the purpose of detecting geneti malformations or sex - linked disorders. The Government of India is taking  followings steps /initiatives  to ensure the effective implementation of the PC&PNDT Act, 1994 in the Sa UTs including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan :
- Regular monitoring of diagnostic Centres/Clinics/ Labs through visits of Inspection Monitoring Committees
- Regular Review of implementation of the law at the National/State /District level
- Capacity building of implementing officers and sensitisation of public prosecutors
- Creating  awareness  through  advocacy  measures  and  Information  Education  and Communication (IEC) campaigns towards building a positive environment for the Girl Child
- Mechanisms  are  formulated  at  the  National/  State    level  to  monitor    illegal -advertisement for sex -selection on internet
- Rendering financial support to the States/UTs for strengthening implementation of Act
- Efforts are taken to enhance   convergen ce with the Scheme Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

## Details of initiatives undertaken is at Annexure I

(b) & (c) : As  per  the  information  received  from  the  States/UTs,  number  of  Centres conducting  illegal  pre - natal  sex  determination  identified  during  the  last  three  years  are under:

|   S. No. | State          |   Centres |
|----------|----------------|-----------|
|        1 | Rajasthan      |        12 |
|        2 | Chhattisgarh   |        03 |
|        3 | J & K          |        01 |
|        4 | Uttarakhand    |        16 |
|        5 | Telangana      |        10 |
|        6 | Jharkhand      |        01 |
|        7 | Punjab         |        23 |
|        8 | Gujarat        |         6 |
|        9 | Haryana        |       166 |
|       10 | Maharashtra    |         5 |
|       11 | Andhra Pradesh |         2 |
|       12 | Karnataka      |        10 |
|       13 | Uttar Pradesh  |        52 |
|       14 | Tamil Nadu     |         9 |

All  these  centres  conducting  illegal  pre - natal  sex  determination are  sealed  and registration under the PC& PNDT Act is suspended by District Appropriate Authorities (DAA). Subsequently, DAA file court cases against such clinics under the relevant provisions o PC&PNDT Act.

Since,  inception,  till  December,  2019  (As  per  Quarterly  Progress  Report  (QPR rec eived  from  the  states/  UTs),  a  total  of 2,261 ultrasound  machines  have  been  sealed  and seized, registration of 9413 centres have been suspended/ cancelled.  Total of 3,092 ongoing court  cases all  over  the  country  filed  by  the  District  Appropriate  Authoriti es  (DAA)  for violation of the law. Further, a total of 607 convictions have been secured and medical licenses of 142 doctors have been suspended/ cancelled following conviction.

- (d): Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities are carried o ut regularly through print, electronic and mass media at the National/ States /UTs level. States hav directed  to  plan  appropriate  behaviour  change  communication  campaigns  and  widely disseminate information on the provisions of the PC &PNDT Act and Ru les thereof.

Awareness is also generated through, social media platforms of twitter, facebook You Tube.  Details of various IEC activities carried out are at Annexure : II

(e )& (f) : As per the information received from the States/UTs, complaints received agai Government  doctors, for running private nursing homes or hospitals are as under:

| States/ UTs    |   No. Of Doctors | Action Taken                                |
|----------------|------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| J & K          |               01 | FIR filed                                   |
| Telangana      |               07 | Suspended                                   |
| Maharashtra    |               08 | 4 Charge sheeted and action against 4 under |
| Andhra Pradesh |               01 | Suspended                                   |

## STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

- a) Central  Supervisory  Board  (CSB)  an  apex  body  under  PC  & PNDT  Act  is  mandated  to advice the central government on policy matter related to regulation of diagnostic tec with  the  potential  of  sex  selection  and  to  review  and  monitor  the  implementation  o legislation. CSB is meeting regularly and 27 th m eeting was held on 11th October, 2019.
- b) Regular  inspections  of  diagnostic  facilities  with  the  potential  of  sex  selection Genetic Counselling Centres, Genetic Laboratories and Genetic Clinics/ Ultrasound/ Ima Centres are conducted on ground bo th from national as well as state level through Inspectio and  Monitoring  Committees.  National  Inspection  and  Monitoring  Committee  (NIMC) conducted10  visits  in  FY  2019 - 20  including  Bihar,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Karnataka  (till February 2020). State Inspection and Monitoring Committees conducted 62249 inspections in FY 2019 - 20 (till December 2019) including Bihar ( 352 ), Uttar Pradesh ( 2784 ), Karnataka ( 3382 ) and Rajasthan ( 2516 ).
- c) Regular meetings at the regional levels are conducted by the Central Government t o review the implementation of PC&PNDT Act and to take stock of other related initiatives. Du FY 2019- 20 (till date), program review meeting for 22 States were conducted including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
- d) Capacity Building of District/State Appropriate Authorities and PNDT Nodal Officers was conducted regularly. During FY 2019 - 20(till date), Capacity Building of the implementing Authorities/ Nodal officers of  9 States including Uttar Pradesh were facilitated by Government  whereas  in other  states/  UTs  including  Bihar,  Karnataka  and  Rajasthan training was conducted by the concerned State/UT Governments.
- e) Orientation and sensitization of judiciary is being conducted through the National Ju Academy. This year till date, the National Judicial Academy conducted a two - days training program  for  35  District  Judges  covering  11  States  including Bihar,  Uttar  Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. Further, state judicial academies are also conducting sensitisati of judicial officers and public p rosecutors in coordination with State Health Departments including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
- f) The  Government  of  India  is  taking  proactive  action  in  removing  and  monitoring -advertisements  on  sex - selection  which  are  in  violation  of  the  PC&PNDT  Act  both at National and State/UT level.
- g) Under National Health Mission (NHM) various innovative initiatives including the giving of  best  village  and  Phanchayat award,  rewards  to  informers  (on  Sex  Determination), conducting of decoy operations, online maintenance of records prescribed under the la being  supported  in  the  States/  UTs  including  in Bihar,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Karnataka  and Rajasthan .  Further,  financia l  support  is  rendered  to  strengthen  implementation  structure including  the  setting  up  of  dedicated  PNDT  cells,  holding  capacity  building  sess launching advocacy campaign in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and all o States/UTs .
- h) The Government of India has launched Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio through focused intervention and multi - sectoral action. The tri - ministerial BBBP Scheme has been expanded Pan India covering all 6 40 districts as per Census 2011. Multi - sectoral intervention is implemented in 405 Districts, while all the 640 Districts are covered under media and advocacy campaign. Spec al focus is laid on the enforcement of PC&PNDT Act under the scheme.

## Annexure - I

## Annexure-II

## SOME OF THE KEY IEC INITIATIVES UNDERTAKEN BY STATES/UT

- Celebration of birth of Girl Child during festivals and cultural programs
- Felicitating parents with only daughters
- Plantation drives symbolizing nurturing and care for girl child
- Recognizing girl achievers in the community by District Administration
- Observe National Girl Child Day, International Women's Day
- Engaging religious leader for community sensitisation
- Pledge for protection, safety, value and education of the girl child
- Awareness drive at grassroots level with Gram Panchayats
- Sensitisation  of  frontline  workers  including  ANM,  ASHAs,  Anganwadi workers
- Exhibition Vans for community engagement.
- Engagement with student through debates, seminars  Sensitisation and orientation in schools, medical colleges, law schools , academic colleges and universities
- Community Engagement programmes -Nukkad Nataks, Signature Camapigns, Door to Door Contacts; Debates/Quizzes and rallies
- Under  BBBP,  radio  spots,  TV,  SMS  Campaign,  field  publicity  are organized with the support of Song, Division and DAVP. An audio video package)  comprising  of  pre-existing  films,  songs  and  other  awareness raising material is disseminated to generate awareness  To supplement media efforts, a dedicated YouTube channel on BBBP (https://www.youtube.com/user/BetiBachaoBetiPadhao) has been started where audio visual content for easy dissemination and sensitization is being shared on a regular basis. A mobile app on BBBP available on the M-GovAppstore is operational.