Census of India 2011: Gujarat puts brakes on declining child sex ratio

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat has managed to halt the speedy decline in child sex ratio, but it still has a long way to go as the current ratio is below the national average, according to the 2011 Census.

In the 90s, the child sex ratio (age group of zero to six years) had slipped to 883 girls for every 1,000 boys from 928 girls for every 1,000 boys in the previous decade.

Now the ratio stands at 886, as per the 2011 census. The declining child sex ratio worried the authorities as well as the civil society, which led to the campaign `beti bachao andolan'.

Government roped in community leaders, religious leaders, women's groups and NGOs for this.

"This (marginal increase in the ratio) is certainly the effect of various campaigns," said V N Maira, Principal Secretary (planning).

But sociologist Gaurang Jani said, "The national figure is 914. In comparison, the ratio in Gujarat is very low."

It was good that the decline in the sex ratio had been halted, but a great effort was required to bring about a parity, Jani said.

Further, he said, the phenomenon of skewed sex ratio seemed to be spreading. "Earlier, skewed sex ratio was observed in two-three communities of the state, but now it is seen in number of other communities, including the tribals. This is a worrying."