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Runaway1956 [soylentnews.org] writes:

CHANDIGARH: Haryana's child sex ratio (0-6 age group) crossed the 900 mark for the first time in 10 years in December 2015.

This is a major jump since 2011 when census figures revealed the state had the worst sex ratio in the country -- 834.

Sirsa topped the table with 999 girls per 1,000 boys in the state infamous for female feticide.

Officials said 12 districts have recorded gender ratio of above 900. Panchkula has registered a sex ratio of 961 followed by Karnal (959), Fatehabad (952), Gurgaon (946), Sonipat (942), Jind (940), Rewari (931), Mewat (923), Bhiwani, Mahendragarh (912) and Hisar (906).

The state overall recorded sex ration of 903.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar credited the success to the state's multi-pronged strategy under 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign.

"We have set a target to achieve sex ratio above 950 within the next six months for the entire state," Khattar said while referring to Jhajjar that recorded the lowest sex ratio.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' programme in Panipat on January 22, 2015.

Haryana health minister Anil Vij said the government had announced an award of Rs 1 lakh for each informer giving leads about illegal sex determination tests and termination of pregnancies.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/1st-time-in-10-yrs-sex-ratio-in-Haryana-crosses-900/articleshow/50609149.cms [indiatimes.com]

Since most of us live in "first world nations", this story may seem odd, or even meaningless. Some perspective might help.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/medical/infanticide_1.shtml [bbc.co.uk]
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/apr/09/india-missing-girls-rising-levels-foeticide [theguardian.com]

For a variety of reasons, male children are deemed as more desirable than female children - so the girls are simply put to death, before or after birth. The practice may be uncommon in modern, developed regions of the nation, butthere are still huge populations living in the backward, undeveloped parts of India.

Of course, the problem isn't unique to India. Even in first world nations, male heirs are the first priority of many men.

Original Submission