Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Saturday honoured Kanniyakumari District Collector R. Alagumeena for her efforts in increasing the sex ratio of girl children in the district, at the women’s day event organised on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment in Chennai.
Speaking after receiving the award, Ms. Alagumeena said that the Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment Department of Kanniyakumari district had been implementing the Girl Children Protection Scheme from the year 2022-23. The scheme aims to prevent female infanticide, ensure safety and survival of girl children and promote their education. As part of the initiative, various awareness programmes were conducted across the district to educate people and improve the sex ratio of girl children, she added.
She particularly highlighted intensive training provided to government doctors, medical staff and owners of Scan centres on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, which played a crucial role in achieving this target. In addition to that, information boards displaying the birth ratio of male and female children have been placed in all government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
Ms. Alagumeena noted that the district administration has been conducting life skill programmes at boarding school for tribal children in Arukani and students of government children’s home in Konam.
Furthermore, orientation and sensitisation training sessions were organised for government teachers, police officials, Integrated Child Development Programme Officers, Child Welfare Committee members, and media professionals on protection of girl child and gender equality.
Awareness campaigns led by artiste groups were conducted in regions where the sex ratio was comparatively low.