Jammu,February 05(Scoop News) – J&K lone women Minister for Social Welfare, Ms Sakina Itoo has said that decline in female population would destablize demographic balance and lead to undesirable practice of trafficking and forced marriages.
The Minister was speaking at a seminar organized in connection with observance of National Girl Child Day in Jammu today. The theme of the seminar was “National Child Day- Adolescent Girl: Issues and Challenges”.
Ms. Sakina said male-female sex ratio imbalance breeds social evils, adding that concerted efforts need to be initiated to encourage birth of girl children.
She said that enactment of laws alone cannot prevent heinous crimes against girls and emphasized on generating awareness among the people about the gender balance. She said social welfare board can play a pivotal role in sensitizing people by holding debates, essay competitions besides organizing street plays focusing on ill effects of imbalanced sex ratio female foeiticide child marriage and its adverse effects on health and growth of women and children, reason of infant and maternal mortality.
The Minister asked the board authorities to involve NGOs in the campaign, adding that Anganwari workers and helper should also generate awareness among the people in their respective areas to yield desirable results.
She said that decline in female population would destablize demographic balance and lead to undesirable practice of trafficking and forced marriages.
The Minister said that rural populace is more vulnerable for such social evils and appealed NGOs to hold awareness camps in far off and rural areas. She said it is extremely sensitive issue and can be checked by collective efforts and strong determination.
She said Women Development Corporation is playing important role in empowering women by providing them low interest loan for setting up income generating units. The Minister said Government has earmarked Rs. 10 crore for providing loan to women entrepreneurs during current financial year.
She said Government has launched a new scheme SABLA in five districts of the State to empower the women, adding that IGMSY scheme would also be introduced shortly.
Among others, Chairperson, J&K State Social Welfare Board, Mrs. Kheemlata Wakhloo, Member Parliament, Madan Lal Sharma, MLA, Mrs. Indu Pawar, Professor Rita Jitinder, Prof. Shashi Gupta, Dr. Prima Khajuria and Mrs Amita Singh Charak were present on the occasion.
In welcome address, Mrs. Kheemlata Wakhloo said femal infanticide has been a common practice in our country since centuries, which causes imbalanced sex ration. Sex ratio is the ratio of male to female in a population.
She said lack of education poor knowledge regarding the adverse consequences of early marriage is the core reason, early marriages usually have adverse effects on the health and development of infant.
Madan Lal Sharma, Mrs. Indu Pawar, Professor Rita Jitinder, Prof. Shashi Gupta, and Dr. Prima Khajuria and Mrs Amita Singh Charak also spoke on the occasion and threw light on the theme of the programme.