Church welcomes girl birth drive

(August 11, 2011) The Church in Goa has welcomed the idea of state government financial incentives for families to have more girls, but said it should also address another issue which has led to a highly uneven sex ratio. The Dhan Laxmi scheme provides 25,000 rupees (US$555) for every girl born in the state of Goa after April 2011. A 25,000-rupee scheme for every Scheduled Tribe girl who enters higher studies is provided for. Several other initiatives introduced by the Government are welcome measures, provided they are properly implemented, said a church official. Father Francis Caldeira, director of the Diocesan Centre for Communication Media, said: “We really do not know whether the government is serious about its intentions, since sex-selective abortions are still running high in the state.” The sex ratio between girls and boys has seen a steady decline in the number of females born since 1960 where the figure was 1,066 females born to every 1,000 males. In 2001 there were 960 females born to every 1,000 males. Pramod Salgaonkar, former chair of the Goa State Commission for Women, said preference for sons still exists even among doctors in Goa.