Pune district is grappling with a worrisome situation as the boy-girl sex ratio dips below 912 per thousand in 575 gram Panchayats, indicating an alarming decline in the number of girls. To address this pressing issue, the administration has called for a detailed report on the progress of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign, which aims to safeguard and educate the girl child effectively.
Comprehensive survey by Pune ZP
To gauge the severity of the situation, the Pune Zilla Parishad conducted a comprehensive survey focusing on boys and girls aged between 0 and 6 in the villages under the Gram Panchayats. In an effort to combat the declining girl-boy ratio, district-level workshops were organized for officials and employees of the gram Panchayats located in the red zone.
Taluka-level workshops
Moreover, Taluka-level workshops were conducted, engaging key stakeholders including Sarpanch, Police Patil, Anganwadi Sevaka, Asha Worker, Gram Sevak, and Anganwadi Supervisor from the Gram Panchayats experiencing a low Child Sex Ratio. These workshops aimed to provide essential training and guidance to improve the child sex ratio, with the active participation of Zilla Parishad members, Panchayat Samiti members, and other relevant stakeholders.
Despite the initiation of numerous programs to address the issue and boost the number of girls, the Zilla Parishad has yet to receive the anticipated report, leaving the outcomes of these initiatives uncertain. It is of utmost importance for the gram sevaks to engage in meaningful discussions with the sarpanch at the gram Panchayat level and subsequently submit a detailed report to the child development project officer.
Ayush Prasad, the Chief Executive Officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, emphasized the significance of collating reports from each Gram Panchayat by all Child Development Project Officers, which will be compiled into a comprehensive taluka-level report for submission at the district level. Immediate action is required to reverse the declining trend and ensure the well-being and empowerment of girls in Pune district.
This comes days after concerns have been raised about the whereabouts of women from 82 families in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad areas who have gone abroad and are currently untraceable. According to Rupali Chakankar, the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW), there has been no contact with these women, raising further alarms about their safety and well-being.
