The Delhi government on February 6 approved a scheme whereby an informer or a decoy pregnant woman would be rewarded for telling about violations of norms related to pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic tests and techniques, officials said.

The scheme, approved by the AAP cabinet, aims to improve child sex ratio by ensuring punitive action against those involved in activities directly or indirectly related to sex-selective abortions/conceptions including illicit use of technology under the purview of PC & PNDT Act.

A reward of Rs 50,000 would be given to an informer telling about the unregistered or registered centre or machine and any other violation of the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 (PC-PNDT Act), the city government said.

An incentive or reward amount of Rs 1,50,000 will be given to a decoy pregnant woman (decoy customer) on the successful completion of sting operation, it said.

A sum Rs 50,000 is to be given to a decoy patient in the event of unsuccessful decoy operation, to compensate the decoy patient for her efforts, time and for the overall success of scheme. However, the informer shall not be compensated in any form in case of an unsuccessful decoy operation, the government said in a statement.

The Delhi government said the aim is also to create awareness among the civil society and to rope in members for this important cause and effectively stop the misuse of pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic tests and techniques. As per the Civil Registration System (CRS) data, the sex ratio at birth witnessed an encouraging trend from 809 per 1000 in 2001, to 848 in 2007, and 886 in 2012, which further improved to 902 in 2016.

The issue of survival of a girl child is a critical one, especially in the conservative society. Thus there is a dire need for a systematic effort in mobilising the community against the evil of sex-selective abortions or conceptions, the statement said.