The civil registration system of birth and deaths in 2016 reveals that there has been a steep decline in the sex ratio at birth in the southern states, known for their high literacy rates. Conversely, states with traditionally poor sex ratios at birth like Rajasthan, Haryana and West Bengal have recorded a slow, but steady, improvement. Evidently, there is a need to look beyond education as the means to counter the bias against girl children. What remains unsaid is that India’s sex ratio at birth has declined from 887 in 2014 to 877 in 2016 or that over 50 per cent of the funds earmarked for the initiative was spent on publicity. Numbers are not the only deceptive thing.

Source: The Telegraph February 06, 2019 03:43 UTC