In an attempt to improve the sex ratio in Pune rural, Pune zilla parishad has taken awareness campaigns in over 535 gram panchayats with sex ratio below 912. Rural areas of Pune have a sex ratio of 948 females per 1,000 males, said officials.
According to Ayush Prasad, chief executive officer of the Pune zilla parishad, in 2011 census, the sex ratio was 833 per 1,000. “Pune zilla parishad held a meeting with all the gram panchayats having low sex ratio a couple of months ago. Since then, awareness drives have been held in 535 gram panchayats with child sex ratio below 912 Rural areas of Pune have a healthy child Sex ratio of 948,” said Prasad.
Dr Ratnaprabha Potdar, integrated child development services (ICDS), supervisor who also overlooks district level schemes related to women and children said, “We have focused on the grassroot level including sarpanch, Asha workers and anganwadi workers and volunteers. They were encouraged to come with their own action plan to address the varied issues at their levels. We guided them with base points and suggested awareness plans. Many gram panchayats came up with plans like felicitating girl child and her family after their birth.”