IMPHAL: Manipur health minister Dr S Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday, voiced for bringing in strict rules and regulations in order to end female foeticide.
The Manipur health minister asked officials of the state’s health department to strictly oversee the health centres in the state and ensure that female foeticide does not take place.
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Manipur health minister Dr S Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday, convened a crucial meeting in this regard at the office of the directorate of family welfare.
The Manipur health minister stated that the meeting was organized to strengthen the implementation of the PC & PNDT Act/Rules in the state.
He said the PCPNDT Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament to stop female foeticide in the country.
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The Manipur health minister also highlighted the cases of gender discrimination during the course of the meeting.
The meeting also deliberated upon the various steps to prevent gender discrimination and female foeticide and to improve sex ratio in Manipur.
WHAT IS FEMALE FOETICIDE?
Female foeticide is the process of finding out the sex of the foetus and undergoing abortion if it is a girl.
Although it is illegal, many people continue to practice it.
Besides this, there are some communities which practice female infanticide – the practice of killing the girl child once she is born.
According to certain sections of the Indian Penal Code, forced abortion, causing death of an unborn child or intentionally preventing a child being born alive are punishable offences.
Besides this, the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, considers engaging in sex selective abortion using pre-natal diagnostic techniques as a punishable offence.