Why in news:

• The gender ratio at birth in 20 villages of Kurukshetra in Haryana was recorded below 400 in 2022 while the whole district’s ratio dropped by 28 points from 921 in 2021 to 893 in 2022.

Key Points:

• Alarmed at the decline given Haryana's gender ratio of 917 girls born per 1,000 boys, the district authorities have now zeroed in on 80 of the 419 villages that have seen a decline in the ratio.
• A decision has been taken to hold monthly review meetings with auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), Accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and other health officials concerned.
• Of the 20 villages on the district administration’s radar, Barachpur recorded an alarming gender ratio of 77 last year. Inhabited mostly by Scheduled Cates and Backward Classes, the village has a population of around 1,000. As per the Health Department’s data, 14 children were born in the village in 2022, of whom 13 were boys. The situation was different in 2021 when a gender ratio of 909 was recorded with the birth of 11 boys and 10 girls.
• Some other “red zone” areas are Hinga Kheri (143), Prem Sonti (190), Alampur (222), Bapdi Colony (231), Throuli (267), Shri Nagar (286), Sultanpur (308), Kalal Mazra (333) and Kheri Saidan (375), according to official data. After recording a continuous rise in gender ratio for four years from 2017, Kurukshetra saw a decline from 938 in 2020 to 921 in 2021 and then to 893 in 2022.
• Local administration is now conducting raids in order to check gender determination tests. Eight raids were conducted in 2022, of which four were in neighbouring UP. The administration’s efforts have started bearing fruit as the district’s gender ratio improved to 968 in February this year. The first quarter ratio is expected to be around 960.
• The district administration is also focusing on the villages recording a dip in gender ratio for two consecutive years. It will try to ascertain the reasons for the steep fall in gender ratio and will plan special awareness drives to improve the gender ratio in these villages.