BETTER SEX RATIO AT BIRTH IN MANY BETI BACHAO DISTRICTS

(Relevant for SOCIOLOGY – Population Dynamics & GS 1 – Population and Related Issues)

The Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) metric has improved by 16 points from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20)

The percentage of first trimester antenatal care registration has also improved from 61 per cent in 2014-15 to 71 per cent in 2019-2020. (Representational)

The Ministry of Women and Child Development Saturday said that 422 out of the 640 districts covered under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Andolan’ have shown an improvement in sex ratio at birth in 2019-20 when compared to 2014-15 levels. The Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) metric has improved by 16 points from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20), the Ministry said Saturday.

Some districts which had very low SRB in 2014-15 have shown huge improvement after implementation of the scheme, the ministry said, pointing to Mau in Uttar Pradesh (694 in 2014-15 to 951 in 2019-20), Haryana’s Karnal (758 to 898), Mahendergarh (791 to 919), and Rewari (803 to 924), and Punjab’s Patiala (847 to 933).

The percentage of first trimester antenatal care registration has also improved from 61 per cent in 2014-15 to 71 per cent in 2019-2020 while the percentage of institutional deliveries has increased from 87 per cent to 94 per cent in the same period, the ministry said in a statement.

In the education sector, the gross enrolment ratio of girls in schools at the secondary level has improved from 77.45 per cent to 81.32 per cent between 2014-15 to 2018-19.