WATERING THE NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN: THE GROWING - CICRED

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P. AROKIASAMY
(Premi, 2002). In addition to this long-term trend of female disadvantage
in child mortality, the recent evidence of sex ratio at birth beyond
normal range of 106 boys per 100 girls provides an early warning about
sex-selective abortion, differential foetal mortality, and unreported
female infanticide.
4. Trends and differentials in sex ratio at birth
The increase in juvenile sex ratio between 1991 and 2001 censuses
shifts the concern from overall sex ratio to the child sex ratio. An
excess of about 5 percent in the number of boys compared to girls
reflects a natural biological balance in child sex ratio (0-5). In India,
considering the level of excess female child mortality, a higher level of
child sex ratio of 107 males per 100 females is considered reasonable,
while child sex ratios above 107 should be viewed with serious concern.
In the last fifty years, the proportion of girls has declined by 5
percent in India. During the past four decades, a clear increasing trend
in the child sex ratio is evident in all states except Kerala (Parasuraman,
2001).
The increase in child sex ratio shows a close correspondence with
the rising trend in sex ratio at birth in most states of India during the
last two decades (Figures 1 and 2). The rise in sex ratio at birth is
steeper in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
The average sex ratio at birth of about 110 during 1983-86 rose to an
average of 118 boys per 100 girls during 1995-98 in these states. Evidence
from the census shows a steeper rise in SRB in Maharashtra and
Gujarat, also during the two decades. Region-wise, the northern states
show the steepest rise with western and eastern regions showing moderate
rise (Figure 3). The trends fluctuate in the Empowered Action Group
(EAG) states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and
Orissa with South Indian states showing some intermittent and marginal
increases.
The sex ratio at birth for the country as a whole, increased to 107
boys per 100 girls during 1995-98. However, abnormally high sex ratio
at birth has been mostly observed in some states of North India. This
is consistent with the indirect estimate of SRB of 107 during 1994-
2001 based on child population of 2001 census (Parasuraman, 2001).
However, the 2001 census also indicates an SRB of 110 males per 100
females for births reported during the preceding year of census, suggesting
the possibility that SRB may have increased steeply during the
post NFHS-2 period of 1999-2001. In any case, the absolute deficit in
female births is huge.