Uttarakhandssex ratioat birth is currently among the worst in the country, as per the goals (SDG) indicators released byNiti Aayoga few days ago. The states performance has been steadily declining every year as far as the sex rtatio at birth is concerned. The thirdNational Family Health Survey(NFHS) done in 2005-6 revealed Uttarakhands sex ratio at birth was of 912 female births per 1,000 male births, which was below the then national Average of 914. After a decade, in 2015-16, the sex ratio at birth inUttarakhanddropped to 888, as per the NHFS -4. In 2018, the ratio dipped to 850 and thereafter to 841 the next year, according to SDG surveys in those years. This year, the ratio stands at 840, making Uttarakhand the state with the worst sex ratio at birth.
Meanwhile, several states which previously had highly skewed sex ratios at birth have shown improvements. Punjab and Haryana, where the sex ratio at birth was 734 and 762 respectively in 2005-6, increased to 860 and 836 by 2015-16. In 2021, the situation in Punjab has improved, its sex ratio at birth is now 890. Haryanas has dipped to 843.
According to the district-level break-up of the data as per the NHFS-4 in 2015-16, Pauri Garhwal had the worst sex ratio at birth then, at 705. Pithoragarh was the second worst, at 758 sex ratio at birth. The state capitalDehradundid not perform too well either, as the figure was 832. Almora topped the list, with 986 female births per 1,000 male births.