Sex Ratio On Decline; Project Aimed At Increasing Women Officers In Force

Panjab's sex ratio at birth improved from 906 females per 1K males in 2017, to 922 in 2023, and once again dipped to 921 in 2024, says a report. This figure remains worryingly lower than the national average of 928 females per 1K males. The 2023 report Vital Statistics of India, based on annual reports of Indian states and union territories, ranked Panjab 20^th among 28 states. Panjab Health minister Dr Balbir Singh stated that the Panjab government's goal is to ensure that by 2026, Panjab's sex ratio surpasses the national average. The government has issued strict orders to all health department employees to monitor every aspect from conception to childbirth. The aim is to prevent any attempt at sex determination or female foeticide. Meanwhile, the Panjab Police has started a project Mainstreaming of Women Police aimed at assessing and enhancing the role and integration of women police officers across the state. The project commenced with a three-day training of trainers program held at the Panjab Police Academy, Phillaur, from 2–4 Dec. Special Director General of Police, Community Affairs Department, Gurpreet Kaur Deo said, ‘The project is an attempt at an evidence-based assessment of the success of the nationwide roll-out of the women helpdesk project of the government of India, wherein two women officials have been posted in each of the 384 police stations in Panjab.’ Additionally, Indian Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the National Investigation Agency investigation reveals that Panjab has the maximum number of cases of human trafficking. He said ‘the Panjab government has constituted a Special Investigative Team and a fact-finding committee. 25 First Information Reports have been registered against 58 illegal travel agents, and 16 accused have been arrested.’ Meanwhile, Ludhiana hospitals are seeing a surge of patients facing respiratory issues amid rising cold wave and pollution levels in the city. Amidst this, the panchayat (village council) of Balloh village, Bathinda district, led by sarpanch Amarjit Kaur, has passed a resolution banning the sale of all tobacco products to make the village tobacco-free (earlier coverage).