Himachal Pradesh is among the only three states and UTs now where sex ratio at birth continues to be below 900, the other two being Goa, and Daman and Diu.
The National Family Health Survey data for 2019-21 published recently shows the sex ratio at birth (females per 1,000 males) for kids born over five years prior to the study declined in Himachal Pradesh from 937 in NFHS 4 (2015-16) to 875 in NFHS 5 (2019-2021), a drop of 62 points.
Compliance data under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act reveals why sex ratio at birth trends refuse to improve satisfactorily.
The latest States Quarterly Report under the Act submitted to the Health Ministry reveals that only 71,096 diagnostic facilities, including genetic counselling centres, genetic labs and clinics and ultrasound and imaging centres have been registered under the law so far.
Overall, sex ratio at birth nationally improved marginally from 919 in NFHS 4 to 929 in the fifth survey edition even though sex ratio at the Population level improved significantly from 991 to 1020 over the two survey periods, crossing the 1000 mark for the first time ever.