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Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had once said "Discrimination against girl child and women is more dangerous than terrorism", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet programme 'Beti Bachao' seems stuttering in Odisha.
The failings seem obvious as the accessed data (see the image below) available with the Union Health Ministry drops a shocker.
PCPNDT ActThe disastrous outcome has been that Odisha is the only State to actually show a 5-point decline as far as the sex ratio at birth is concerned.
Significantly, in the year 2007, the State was rocked by serial female foeticide in Nayagarh district. The district had a very poor sex ratio at birth. For this, it became the first district to get included under PM's Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
Interestingly, the PCPNDT (Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Test) Act was enacted in the year 1996. And the Nayagarh shame took place a decade later. The number of cases under PCPNDT Act in the State speaks volumes, especially when police have recently busted a female foeticide clinic in Cuttack.
Odisha Vs Rajasthan-Haryana-Punjab Syndrome
The state of Rajasthan had registered the highest of 753 cases since 1996, of which convictions achieved in 153 cases and licenses were cancelled in 22 cases.
The data puts the conviction rate in the state at over 20 percent. And the rate of suspension/cancellation of medical licenses had been estimated at around 14 percent.
In contrast, Odisha could register mere 70 cases. Also, the conviction rate under PCPNDT Act in Odisha has been at mere 7 percent, and the rate of suspension or cancellation of licenses has been ZERO.
The Effect: When Rajasthan had recorded a 15 point improvement in SRB (sex ratio at birth) during 2015-18, Odisha had recorded a 5 point decline.
Haryana: The State has a total of 2458 registered diagnostic clinics vis-a-vis 1158 in Odisha. When Haryana had registered 353 cases in the last 25 years, it had been only 70 in Odisha.
Moreover, the northern state had accomplished convictions in 33 cases and had cancelled licenses of 22 clinics.
Punjab: Against 1158 clinics in Odisha, Punjab has 1708. PCPNDT cases in the state stood at 169 with 33 convictions and cancellation of the medical license of 1 violator.
Sex Determination Behind The Trend?
Take a look at the Union Health Ministry's reply to the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women.
"Small family norm coupled with easy availability of sex determination tests, act as a catalyst in the declining child sex ratio and further stimulated by the illegal practice of pre-conception sex selection leading to female foeticide,” the reply said so categorically.
Where Lies The Drag?
In the recent busting of the sex determination clinic in Cuttack, the State police have found that the ultrasonic lab is in operation without a license for over 6 months. This shows laxity in monitoring.
But the PCPNDT Act mandates conducting regular surveys, updating registrations and renewals to curb the unregulated use of diagnostic techniques having the potential of sex selection and determination.
Moreover, as per the observation of the Parliamentary Committee on Women Empowerment, 15 States where the SRB has recorded an improvement have successfully utilised the method of decoy operations and informer schemes to identify the culprits.
The Act further asks for focused interventions in the areas with skewed Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB).
Significantly, Cuttack, where Odisha police had sealed an ultrasonic clinic, has an SRB of 911 from 914 in 2011. Here is the list of districts that need focused intervention.
Perilous Districts
Cuttack (911) ----------- 2011 (914)
Boudh (873) -------------- 2011 (978)
Dhenkanal (863) --------- 2011 (877)
Gajapati (901) ------------ 2011 (967)
Jagatsinghpur (910) ----- 2011 (929)
Khordha (909) -------------- 2011 (916)
Malkangiri (919) ------------ 2011 (995)
Nabarangpur (928) --------- 2011 (998)
Sambalpur (923) ------------- 2011 (940)
