Female foeticide a blot on state’s progressive tradition,says Pawar

Explaining the Gruha Swamini scheme Patil said the scheme would have a ten-point action plan. “In the backdrop of the increasing female foeticide the scheme would carry out campaigns at Gram Panchayat,Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad levels. It is estimated that 28,000 Gram Panchayats would participate in the programme.”

Addressing the gathering,Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar said the progressive tradition of Maharashtra has been tainted with a blot of female foeticide. “The rate of female foeticide is greater in educated and well-to-do urban families. If need be,women should be ready to take up the struggle for their existence,” he said.

Lauding the efforts taken by the Mumbai-based Yashwantrao Chavan Prartishthan to spread awareness about female foeticide,Pawar said similar awareness parades should be undertaken in Vidharbha and Marathwada where the rate of female foeticide is high.

“It’s astonishing that in the societies with good education and economical status the rate of the female foeticide is highter than poor communities. This needs immediate correction.”

Sule said that after the successful march in Western Maharashtra,now it would be taken to Marasthwada and Vidarbha in November. “I am really happy that the girls completed the four-day march,”she said.