Some credit should go to 'Beti Bachao....' campaign :::: India reports 1,020 women per 1,000 men, it's a record

The latest survey report released on Nov 24, 2021 by Health and Family Welfare Ministry is from a sample study of 630,000 households.

New Delhi: Gender discrimination may still be an issue. 

But what is seen as a major development is that the latest National Family and Health Survey, released by the Union Health Ministry, has recorded 1,020 women per 1,000 men. The figures were revealed after two years of research.

This is the first time any significant population survey has shown more women than men in India. The first census in India for records was carried out in the latter part of the 19th century. The year 1872 has been popularly labelled as the first population census of India. However, the first synchronous census in India was held in 1881.

In the past, the government authorities and experts have often blamed the surge in rape cases in some northern states on the lopsided sexual demography. Say in Haryana in 2011-12, and there were just 877 women to every 1,000 men following years of infanticide and abortions. 

Sociologists say for various reasons, boys remain highly favoured. But after 2014, under PM Narendra Modi, an ambitious Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the girl child and Educate girl) campaign was launched by the Government of India campaign to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls in India. 

The scheme was launched with initial funding of Rs 100 crore targeted clusters in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Bihar and Delhi.

According to census data in India, the child sex ratio (0–6 years) in India was 927 girls per 1,000 boys in 2001, which dropped to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. The Sex Ratio 2011 showed a downward trend from the census 2001 data.

However, the latest figures of more women must be taken with a pinch of salt. Officials say the survey covered only about 630,000 of India's 30 crore households.

Nevertheless, the latest figures show significant societal shifts in the country. 

India is home to around 130 crores plus population, and forecast by the UN says it could overtake China later this decade.