CHENNAI: Reiterating her firm resolve to end female foeticide, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday announced extension of the cradle baby scheme to Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai as the ratio of female children had dropped in these districts as per the 2011 Census figures.In an official release, the CM said that the fall in the ratio in the five districts, including Cuddalore, was being seen as a fallout of female foeticide and infanticide. “Hence, I have ordered extension of the cradle baby scheme in these districts. In all these places, child reception centers would be set up. They would have supervisors, nurses and assistants,” the CM said. To be set up at a cost of `47.45 lakh, the centers would have milk powder and medicine, besides clothes. Also, cradles would be put up at maternity hospitals, PHCs and homes. Tracing the origin of the scheme, the CM said the plan had come a long way since it was implemented in 1992 in Salem. In 2001, when she became the CM again, it was extended to Madurai, Theni, Dindigul and Dharmapuri. A total of 188 cradles were put up in Erode and Namakkal. Officials were trained and the scheme also won accolades world over, she said. On the scheme’s successful journey, the CM said 3,200 female and 582 male children had been saved so far. A total of 2,460 kids had been given in adoption within India while 197 were adopted by persons abroad. Also, 160 kids had been handed back to their parents. She said the child sex ratio of 1,000 male children to 942 female kids in 2001 had gone up in 2011 to 946 female kids. But, the latest Census indicated a fall in the numbers in the five districts where it was implemented. Hence, it is being extended to these districts, she said.
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