Higher sex ratio in tribal districts

RANCHI: Tribal-dominated districts of the state have proved that the adage birth of a girl is celebrated more than a boy is still followed in their households.
Another important finding of the provisional Census 2011 data is that the literacy growth rate among women is 17.23 per cent against 11 per cent in male population. Although the literacy rate of women is still at 56.21 per cent compared to 78.45 per cent in male population, its growth rate is comparatively high.
At a time when nationwide campaigns involving Bollywood actors and youth icons are being launched to stop female foeticide and improve the skewed sex ratio, almost all tribal-dominated districts of the state have recorded a balanced growth of the index.
According to the provisional data released by the directorate of census operation in Jharkhand, tribal-dominated districts of West Singhbhum and Simdega have registered a ratio of 1,004 and 1,000, respectively.
Director of census operation Sunil Kumar Barnwal said most of the tribal-dominated districts have high sex ratio above the state average of 947. "It is very heartening that the state has registered a positive growth in sex ratio from 941 in 2001 to 947 in 2011," said Barnwal.
The other tribal-dominated districts which had high sex ratio compared to state average included Khunti (994), Gumla (993) and Lohardaga (985).
On the other hand, districts having more non-tribal population had poor sex ratio. Districts like Dhanbad and Bokaro has a highly skewed sex ratio at just 908 and 916, respectively. Other districts with poor sex ratio included Deoghar and Ramgarh where it stood at 921. In Garhwa and Godda, sex ratio was 933, which was again below the state average of 947.
Tribal Research Institute director Prakash Chandra Oraon said since time immemorial, tribals have never
discriminated between a boy and a girl. "In fact, everyone in the family is happy when a girl is born. Tribals never go for sex determination and female foeticide. The result of Census 2011 is just an indication of our traditional belief," said Oraon.