New panel to tackle female foeticide issues: Health Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: A new committee will tackle issues related to female foeticide in India, union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Friday.

Addressing reporters here on his first visit to Kerala after becoming a cabinet minister, he said that apart from monitoring, the need of the hour is to have cooperation of all sections of the society to get rid of the problem.

"Each and every person, from doctors to parents, has to work together. Women empowerment is also very important. Then only we will be able to prevent such acts. Mere talk about women empowerment won't help," the health minister said.

A Supreme Court bench Tuesday came down heavily on the central and state governments for sloppy implementation of the 1994 law against pre-natal sex determination, which, it said, reflected lack of concern for a girl child.

Harsh Vardhan said as health is a state subject, violators of the law should be punished by the state governments.

"It does not mean that we have no role to play," he said.