Chandigarh, May 8 - Haryana has launched an intensified statewide campaign to improve the gender ratio, with Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra directing officers to take strict and coordinated action against those indulging in illegal sex determination and related unlawful practices.

 

Chairing the State Task Force meeting under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme, Dr. Misra issued firm directions to officers from the Health, Women and Child Development, Police,  Food & Drugs Administration and Ayush departments to strengthen enforcement, increase field inspections and tighten surveillance mechanisms to curb illegal practices related to sex selection.

 

Dr. Misra directed officers to accelerate reverse tracking of abortion cases, conduct regular inspections of medical stores involved in the illegal sale of MTP kits and identify unauthorised hospitals carrying out unlawful procedures. She also instructed district administrations and police authorities to intensify sting operations to dismantle organised networks involved in illegal sex determination.

 

Officers informed during the meeting that Haryana currently has 1,206 registered MTP centres, of which 201 have been shut down for violations, while the remaining 1,005 centres are functioning under strict monitoring. During 2025 and 2026, authorities conducted 1,240 inspections and issued 58 notices to erring centres during FY 2025-26. The data presented in the meeting also showed a decline in abortion cases, with MTPs below 12 weeks reducing from 47,730 in FY 2024-25 to 43,443 in FY 2025-26. Similarly, cases involving pregnancies beyond 12 weeks declined from 4,291 to 3,841 during the same period.

 

In another major enforcement initiative, reverse tracking of 606 abortion/MTP cases was conducted between January and March 2026 across all districts of Haryana. The strategy has helped authorities identify illegal activities and monitor high-risk cases more effectively. Since October 2024, the reverse tracking mechanism has resulted in 78 FIRs against illegal operators, quacks, chemists and others involved in unlawful practices.

 

The meeting highlighted Haryana’s remarkable improvement in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), which has increased from 838 girls per 1,000 boys in 2010 to 923 in 2025 — the highest ever recorded in the state. It was apprised in the meeting that that due to coordinated action more than 60,000 girl children have been saved under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign since its launch in 2015.

 

Several districts, including Panchkula, Fatehabad, Panipat and Karnal, have shown significant progress in improving the sex ratio in 2025, reflecting the impact of sustained enforcement drives and public awareness campaigns. However, Dr. Misra cautioned officers against complacency and stressed that focused efforts were still required in districts where the sex ratio remains below the state average.

 

Taking serious note of the illegal sale of abortion kits, Dr. Misra directed authorities to inspect medical stores across the state and take strict legal action against violators. It was apprised during the meeting that in 2025 alone, 44 chemist shops were sealed, 59 FIRs were registered and more than 6,000 MTP kits were seized during enforcement drives.

 

To ensure the availability of medicines through authorised channels and prevent black marketing, the state has also initiated direct supply of tablet Mifepristone through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to registered private MTP centres after shortages were reported in district drug warehouses.

 

Dr. Misra also directed officers to strengthen monitoring of high-risk pregnancies through the SAHELI network involving ASHA workers, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). She said accountability of field staff would be fixed in cases of negligence, while those performing exceptionally would be recognised and encouraged.

 

The state government has decided to conduct intensive awareness campaigns in villages and districts with low sex ratios. Religious leaders, community organisations and local institutions will also be involved to spread awareness against sex determination and encourage respect and equal opportunities for the girl child.

 

She also suggested that the pandit, maulvi, and granthi of the gurudwara conducting the wedding should administer vows to the couple, encouraging them to stand against female foeticide and sex determination tests. Dr. Misra also directed WCD department to accelerate the pace of outreach campaign at village level and also update the HQ with the prevailing ground issues.

 

Officers informed that Haryana has registered more than 1,300 FIRs under the PC and PNDT and MTP Acts since 2014. During this period, the state has conducted over 400 inter-state raids, made thousands of arrests and cancelled registrations of nearly 300 centres found violating the law.

 

Dr. Sumita Misra said Haryana has made remarkable progress in protecting daughters over the past decade, but sustained vigilance and public participation remain essential to completely eliminate female foeticide from society.

 

No. IPRDH/2026

 

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(Release ID: 1338)