Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh sets a target to raise the sex ratio above the national average, strengthening PC-PNDT enforcement to curb female foeticide.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Tuesday set a lofty goal for the state to improve the sex ratio above the national average by the next year in an attempt to step up efforts to stop female foeticide.

During a state-level capacity building workshop on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PC–PNDT) in Chandigarh, the Health Minister urged all civil surgeons and healthcare professionals, including ASHA employees, to be constantly vigilant in order to monitor pregnancies and stop this unethical practice. Killing a girl child is the worst crime, he said, and urged health officials to make sure that every pregnant woman is actively tracked.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the PC-PNDT Act, which was passed in 1994 and reinforced in 2003 to stop the improper use of medical technology for sex determination, and emphasized that the law only works when society supports it. He reminded attendees that it is illegal for anybody to seek the sex of an unborn child and that neither a doctor nor a clinic may divulge such information. He also added that doing so is a serious felony that carries severe penalties, such as license cancellation and imprisonment.

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According to Dr. Balbir Singh, social discrimination, outdated ideas, and the barbaric practice of female foeticide have all contributed to Punjab’s concerning historical gender imbalance. He pointed out that the situation has started to improve as a result of the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, enforcing the law strictly, conducting targeted surveillance, conducting raids, establishing registration systems, and launching persistent awareness efforts. He reported that Punjab’s sex ratio at birth improved from 906 females per 1000 men in 2021–2022 to 922 in 2023 and 921 in 2024, a 16-point increase brought about by concerted efforts throughout the state, citing the Civil Registration System.

According to the Minister, Punjab now has 2,092 registered ultrasonography centers. These centers were inspected 2,703 times in 2025–2026. Thirteen of these centers received show-cause warnings when inconsistencies were discovered. He said that in order to guarantee vigilance and transparency in implementation, the District Advisory Committees met 63 times.

He reaffirmed that ultrasound facilities that violate the PC-PNDT Act will be subject to severe consequences, including license revocation and legal penalties. He emphasized that maternal diagnostic services are now easily available at primary-level facilities like Aam Aadmi Clinics, and that this growth improves the state’s capacity to more efficiently monitor pregnancies.

Dr. Balbir Singh called for societal change, stating that the birth of a daughter should be welcomed and that everyone should share responsibility for her safety, education, and advancement. In order to spur change, he advised communities to highlight female achievers as role models. He asserted that “a girl is not merely a gender—she is the honor of a family, the soul of society, and the pride of humanity,” and that the very notion of hurting a female child when she is still in the womb upsets not only the equilibrium of a family but also the entire civilization.

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He emphasized that the PC-PNDT Act and initiatives like Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao serve as the cornerstone of a socially progressive future and that the actual goal of today’s workshop is to spark a mental shift.In addition to honoring the districts with an improved sex ratio, Dr. Balbir Singh called on everyone in attendance to make a collective commitment to refrain from seeking or permitting the sex of an unborn child, to refrain from any kind of discrimination against boys and girls, and to actively participate in raising awareness and establishing a people’s movement to end female foeticide in Punjab.

Participants received training on a variety of PC-PNDT act topics from Director PC-PNDT MoHFW GoI Dr. Indranil Das, Advocate PC-PNDT Ifat Hamid, and Program Management Specialist UNFPA Anuja Gulati. Additionally in attendance at the training were Special Secretary cum MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori, Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Hitinder Kaur, Deputy Director Dr. Navjot Kaur, Assistant Director Dr. Harpreet Kaur, and Program Officer Dr. Arti.