Cash rewards, vigil to curb female foeticide
In a bid to arrest the declining sex ratio, the Haryana Health Department has proposed a carrot-and-stick policy targeting pregnancies deemed vulnerable to sex-selective abortions. About 45,000 frontline health workers — 20,000 ASHA and 25,000 anganwari workers — will monitor 53,460 pregnant women with one or more daughters, identified as “most vulnerable” across the state.
Under the plan, these workers will be rewarded with Rs 1,000 for every successful delivery of a girl child. However, punitive action will be taken against them in cases of unjustified terminations. “We have given final shape to the proposal. It will be placed before the Finance Department for approval,” said sources in the Health Department.
The initiative comes after Haryana recorded its lowest sex ratio at birth (SRB) in seven years — 910 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024, down from 916 in 2023. The SRB further dipped to 909 in the first quarter of 2025. Among districts, Charkhi Dadri (819), Gurugram (827), and Rohtak (883) reported the lowest ratios, while Fatehabad (993), Jhajjar (974), and Panchkula (972) had the highest.
However, early April data indicates a marginal improvement, with the ratio rising to 911. “The Health and Women and Child Development Departments are working in synergy to improve the sex ratio. Our on-ground efforts will start showing results soon,” said Sudhir Rajpal, Additional Chief Secretary, Health.
Health workers will now intensify visits between 12 to 20 weeks of pregnancy, a critical period for illegal sex determination and abortion. “ASHA workers currently visit homes four times before delivery and twice post-delivery. Now, they will make additional visits to ensure vigilance,” said Dr Virender Yadav of the State Task Force. A list of identified vulnerable pregnancies has already been sent to district Civil Surgeons.
Data collection on child births by sex will also be part of the workers’ responsibilities to track real-time trends and enforce accountability. “The aim is to reduce unjustified abortions and promote institutional deliveries of female children,” added Yadav.
While state authorities claim robust steps are underway, women’s rights activists argue for more comprehensive action. “The government has started acting tough, but implementation is still patchy. We need stronger accountability and wider coverage,” said Jagmati Sangwan, leader of the All India Democratic Women’s Association.
Other measures being rolled out include setting up dedicated district police units under a DSP to check sex determination, mandatory pregnancy registration for all ultrasound tests, and closure of all unregistered IVF centres.
The campaign aligns with the decade-long Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme, originally launched from Panipat. Yet, with the latest numbers showing a persistent imbalance, authorities are now banking on ground-level workers to lead the change.
