The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hyderabad records lowest child sex ratio in State

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Thursday, Dec 14, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hyderabad records lowest child sex ratio in State

Special Correspondent

FACTS, FIGURES: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Minister N. Rajyalakshmi and UNICEF representative Michel Saint-Lot launching the UNICEF report in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: It may sound strange, but it is a fact: Hyderabad, the fastest growing IT destination, is ranked at the bottom of the girl-boy child sex ratio in the State.

The State specific data on UNICEF's Status of World's Children Report-2007 released here on Wednesday by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy shows Hyderabad with a poor sex ratio of 943 girls for 1,000 boys in the 0-6 year age group followed by Kadapa with 951 girls.

Vizianagaram best

Vizianagaram had the best sex ratio of 980 girls. The State as a whole has a sex ratio of 961 girls for 1,000 boys against the national average of 927 girls in the 0-6 year age group.

Visakhapatnam has the highest infant mortality rate (IMR) of 80/1,000 live births while Medak had the lowest of 20. The report also throws up some other interesting facts. Krishna district has recorded close to 70 per cent home deliveries while Kurnool has the lowest of 25 per cent.

On the literacy front, the State has 76.2 per cent girls in the 6-13 years age group attending school, compared to 82.4 per cent boys. Seventy-four per cent boys in the 11-13 age group and 65.7 per cent girls have completed primary education. The national figure is 67.7 per cent literacy. Hyderabad has recorded the highest woman literacy rate of 73.67 per cent, and Mahabubnagar the lowest at 32.83 per cent.

Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy stressed the need to bridge the gender gap. He said the Government had initiated measures to give due importance to women. School Education Minister N. Rajyalakshmi, UNICEF State Representative for AP and Karnataka Michel Saint-Lot were present.

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