S.S. Parmar, Chief Secretary inaugurated the one day long State Level Sensitization Workshop on Gender Issues organized by HIPA in collaboration with Planning Commission and UNDP here today.
Parmar informed that more than 38 percent women have been elected to different Panchayati Raj Institutions against the prescribed minimum 33 percent in panchayati raj elections conducted in the State in 2005. He said that there is less gender disparity in the State. Acknowledging this fact, UNDP in 1991 had adjudged H.P. as the most gender equal State in the country, he added.
With regard to his concern for declining sex ratio in some parts of the State, the Chief Secretary revealed that State Government has announced incentive scheme for those 10 panchayats in the State which showed the best female birth rate relative to male birth rate. These panchayats were awarded Rs. 5 lakh additional grant each year, he added.
He said that in order to raise the status of girl child and to prevent female foeticide in State, the Government had introduced Indira Gandhi Balika Suraksha Yojna and an incentive of Rs. 25,000 was provided to the parents who adopt terminal family planning method after the birth of first girl child.
