Why in news:

• As per the latest figures from state’s pregnancy and child tracking system (PCTS) of health department, in the past 10 years, 5,02,968 more boys were born in the state in comparison to girls.
• Though the yearly difference in number of births of boys and girls had decreased continuously from 2011-12 to 2019-20, it increased slightly in 2020-21, which is a cause for concern.

Key Points:

• In 2020-21, 36,888 more boys were born in comparison to girls, shows the figures of state’s pregnancy and child tracking system (PCTS) of health department.
• Since 2011-12, the difference has been reducing and it has become almost half from 73,336 to 36,888 in 2021-22, a good sign.
• But, only in 2021-22, it increased slightly from 36,268 in 2019-20 to 36,888 in 2021-22, which is a concern.
• The difference between the number of birth of boys and girls has been reducing sharply.
• In 2020-21, at an average of 101 less girl children were taking birth daily,which was 100 in 2019-20.
• The 10-year figures of PCTS have also shown good results for those working for encouraging population stabilization.
• The figures show that since 2016 the number of birth of boys and since 2017 the number of birth of girl child have been continuously declining.
• In 2011-12, the number of baby boys born was 7,33,779 and girls was 6,60,443. But, after a gap of few years in 2020-21, the number of baby boys was 6,85,847 and girls born was 6,48,959.
• There is a need for continuous efforts for effective implementation of pre-conception pre-natal diagnostic technique Act to bring down the difference between births of baby boys and girls.
• Conducting government backed operations in the state to nab those involved in sex determination and female foeticide is the need of the hour to stem the rot.