The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sheila for stricter laws to check female foeticide

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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New Delhi

Sheila for stricter laws to check female foeticide

Staff Reporter

“Declining sex ratio creating social, natural imbalance”

Photo: R. V. Moorthy

Concerned: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and High Court Chief Justice M. K. Sharma during a seminar on female foeticide in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating sex ratio in the country and reiterated that her Government will take recourse to stricter legislation as well as comprehensive awareness campaign in order to curb the practice of female foeticide.

Addressing a day-long seminar on female foeticide organised by Delhi Legal Services Authority at Vigyan Bhawan here on Sunday, Ms. Dikshit said the declining sex ratio was creating social and natural imbalance and had decayed social relations, which were regarded as binding force.

Stressing the need of bringing effective awareness against female foeticide, Ms. Dikshit said all important functionaries of social political and religious organisations should come forward in building awareness as it would go a long way in overcoming this social problem.

Further, she stated that provisions of Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act require enforcement in true spirit. In this regard the Chief Minister announced that her Government would tackle this problem by not only supporting and carrying out a comprehensive public awareness campaign but also by bringing about effective legislation that could help provide a fool-proof system of auditing records of ultra-sound diagnostic centres. She informed that parents were preferring abortion after being told about possibility of a girl child and that young men in Punjab and Haryana were finding it hard to find brides.

Importance of girl child

Elaborating on the steps taken by her Government in making people realise the importance and relevance of girl child, Ms. Dikshit mentioned the “Ladli” Scheme and a grand celebration of girl child organised by her Government last year at the India Gate lawns.

She also stated that her Government had started giving financial assistance on the birth of a girl child, which would be accumulated in due course. The amount released by Government in phases would have redemption value of Rs. 1 lakh on the girl child attaining the age of 18. The Chief Minister also informed that a number of concessions were being provided to girl students in Delhi and the Stage Government had also granted relief to women in stamp duty on property registration in her name. Ms. Dikshit exhorted the legal community to come forward in providing assistance and counselling to all women including girl children who seek their assistance after denial of due concessions and rights.

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