‘Male migrants behind Delhi’s skewed sex ratio’

Delhi’s sex ratio at 867 is lowest when compared to metros like Chennai and Mumbai and also against national average of 927.

While female foeticide may still be far from being eliminated, it is not the most important factor behind the skewed sex ratio in the Capital, if Delhi health officials are to be believed.

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Instead, it is the huge number of male migrants coming from states such as Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan who are responsible for the dipping sex ratio in the Capital, they feel.

The health officials shared this unusual observation recently with the members of a Delhi Government’s Committee on Child and Welfare, which was set up to look into issues pertaining to welfare of women and children, including declining sex ratio.

Delhi’s sex ratio at 867 is lowest when compared to metros like Chennai and Mumbai and also against national average of 927. “The state health officials told the members an increase in the male population in the city is due to migration of people from other states and not due to natural birth,” said the panel led by former head of the Delhi Commission for Women, Kiran Walia.

To substantiate their “migration theory”, officials said that the figures available for 2002 from the Planning Department reflected that population in Delhi had increased by 4,33,000, of which 3,18,000 belong to the migrants category,” the report said.