Haryana seeks support of social oufits, khaps against female foeticide

CHANDIGARH: As part of its 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat on January 22, Haryana government on Saturday urged the social and religious institutions and khap panchayats to support the drive and take a pledge that they would not let female foeticide happen in their areas.
State health minister Anil Vij said that this programme would be implemented in 100 districts of the country, out of which 12 districts of Haryana, which have low sex ratio, have been selected.These include Mahendergarh, Jhajjar, Rewari, Sonepat, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, Karnal, Yamuna Nagar, Kaithal, Bhiwani and Panipat.
Meanwhile, three-day awareness yatras organized in pursuance of the campaign were flagged off in 12 districts by different central and state ministers on Saturday to sensitize people about the security and education of the girl child, skewed sex ratio, prevention of female foeticide and women empowerment.
At Kaithal, Union minister of rural development, Birender Singh said that women in their role as mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law and a sister-in-law should boycott those who pressurize and persuade them for female foeticide.
The state government has also announced to launch a new policy on March 8 aiming to improve the skewed sex ratio in the state.