Down with low child sex ratio [Editorial]

India crossed one billion population in May 2000. The census 2001 enumerated the total population of India on the 1st March 2001 as 1027 million. During 1991 the sex ratio for the total population was 927 (females per thousand males) it increased to the mark of 933 in 2001 an increase of 6 points. The unfavourable trend and steady decline in number of women is a matter of grave concern. The extent of anti-female bias in India is by no means limited to poor income society. Punjab and Haryana two of the richest states in terms of per capita incomes have among the lowest female to male sex ratios: 861 women to 1000 men in Haryana and 874 women for every 1000 men in Punjab. Overall proportion of children (0-6 year age) has been declining in India a favourable trend indeed to attribute to the success of family welfare programme intervention however the declining female child sex ratio over the years is a disturbing trend. (excerpt)