Odisha Flags 5 Districts Over Low Sex Ratio at Birth, Orders Stricter Inspections
The Odisha government has identified Nayagada, Anugola, Dhenkanal, Ganjam and Khurda as the state’s poorest-performing districts in terms of the sex ratio at birth (SRB) and has ordered a series of intensified enforcement and monitoring measures to improve the number of female births for every 1,000 male births.
The assessment was made by the State Supervisory Board constituted under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act, which met under the chairmanship of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling. While the five districts were flagged for urgent intervention, Jajpur emerged as the best-performing district on the SRB index.
Reviewing the state’s enforcement efforts, as reported by the PTI, officials informed that 649 inspections were carried out by district authorities between 2024 and 2026, while the state-level authorities conducted 11 inspections during the same period. The crackdown resulted in the sealing of six illegal ultrasound clinics, seizure of six ultrasound machines, and disciplinary proceedings against government doctors and other officials.
Building on these actions, the government has now directed the identified districts to further tighten surveillance. The administrations have been asked to ensure 100 per cent verification of records, increase inspections of ultrasound facilities and strengthen monitoring mechanisms to curb violations of the PC-PNDT Act.
Mahaling said district-level committees would be reinforced to improve oversight and ensure more ultrasound clinics come under regular inspection. He also stressed that legal enforcement alone would not be sufficient, adding that extensive public awareness campaigns would be launched to encourage a better sex ratio at birth.
The Health Minister said the government would take all necessary steps to improve the SRB in the five districts, with a renewed focus on stricter implementation of the PC-PNDT Act alongside sustained monitoring and awareness initiatives.
