12 panchayats awarded for improving female sex ratio

Shimla, Jun 4 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced an award of Rs five lakh each to 12 gram panchayats for showing exemplary results in improving female sex ratio in their areas.

Presiding over the state supervisory board meeting, constituted under the pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection), here these panchayats were being awarded for their exemplary work in improving female sex ratio in their areas.

Mr Singh said the cash prize would be over the regular budgetary provisions to carry additional developmental activities in their respective gram panchayats.

Methi panchayat of Bilaspur district, Sinhuer of Chamba district, Kakkar of Hamirpur district, Kudag of Kangra district, Namgia of Kinnaur district, Deotha of Kullu district, Goharma and Kolang panchayats of Lahaul Spiti district, Mathear of Mandi district, Neri in Shimla district, Bhanat in Sirmour district, Hinner in Solan district and Badhera Raj in Una district have been awarded, he said.

He said concerted efforts were on to check the female foeticide besides taking strict action against individuals and clinics undertaking such sex determination tests.

The Himachal Government was providing free education to girl students up to the university level, free uniform and text books, scholarships ranging from Rs 300 to Rs. 1,000, nutritional supplements to pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls at anganwari centres, skill training under Kishori Shakti Yojna and cash awards to the family adopting family planning, he said.

UNI