Soon, Delhiites Can Win Rs 50K If They Blow Whistle On Foetal Sex Determination

The Delhi government has come up with a unique plan to up the dwindling sex ratio in the state. It plans to award a sum of Rs 50,000 to anyone who helps identify hospitals and doctors involved in the illegal practice of sex determination.

The sex ratio in Delhi dropped to 919 females per 1,000 males in 2011 compared to 927 females in 2001.

According to the Pre-Conception, Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act, doctors who determine the sex of an unborn child face a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and 5 years in jail. But there are about 291 diagnostic centres in Delhi that perform such illegal activities.

The Delhi government is now taking a different approach and asking patients themselves to report such crimes and be awarded Rs 50,000 for the same. The only rider being that the prize will be given only if the raids are successful, as sources told HT.

While the police do have informants who can take video evidence of the illegal activities, it becomes much easier if patients do this job. TOI quoted Dr Satyajit Kumar, Delhi state programme officer, PC-PNDT, as saying, “The draft proposal for the ‘informer reward scheme’ will come into effect within a few months once we get approvals from the legal and finance departments.”

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