Maha govt forms task force for strict implementation of PC-PNDT Act
Mumbai, July 7
Maharashtra Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Tuesday announced in the Legislative Council that a state-level task force will be established, committees will be reconstituted, decoy operations will be boosted, and monitoring will be made more effective through the active participation of public representatives to ensure the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act.
This is aimed at protecting the female child birth rate and curbing illegal sex determination.
The announcement came during a short-duration discussion under Legislative Council Rule 97, initiated by member Neelam Gorhe, regarding the operational sex determination and abortion rackets despite the PCPNDT Act being in force in the state.
Members Pragya Satav, Manisha Kayande, Chitra Wagh, Rajiv Potdar, Bachchu Kadu, Vikram Kale, Madhavi Naik, Umatai Khapre, and Bhavana Gawali participated in the discussion.
Acknowledging the critical points raised by the members, Abitkar stated that the reward for successful decoy operations has been significantly increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,00,000, and awareness campaigns regarding this are underway.
He emphasised that merely making decisions is not enough; the expected results will only be achieved when the actual on-the-ground implementation becomes highly effective.
Abitkar further informed the House that fresh appointments have been made to the State Inspection and Monitoring Committee, the State Advisory Committee, and the State Supervisory Board. District-level committees have also been made fully functional.
A comprehensive operations schedule has been drafted in coordination with the Women and Child Development Department, and active efforts are underway to eliminate legal loopholes in the existing framework.
The state-level task force will operate from Pune and will conduct real-time monitoring of the PCPNDT Act's implementation across the state. This task force will include female public representatives from both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council to establish an independent oversight mechanism, the health minister said.
Abitkar expressed confidence that if public representatives conduct district-wise reviews, the ground implementation of these decisions will be far more effective, thereby strengthening the protective mechanism for the girl child.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, some concrete steps beyond just talking! The inclusion of female MLAs and MLCs in the task force is a smart idea—they'll understand the issues better and ensure accountability. However, I'm skeptical about the district-level committees being "fully functional." Many times, these committees exist only on paper. Let's hope the chief minister's office keeps a close watch on this. As a mother of a daughter, this gives me some hope. 🙏
Good intentions, but let's be honest—laws exist but enforcement is weak. We've seen countless cases where ultrasound machines are used illegally in small towns. The task force needs to have surprise inspections, not just scheduled ones. And what about the doctors involved? They should face strict punishment, not just a fine. The decoy operation reward hike is good, but we need to protect whistleblowers too. Akhilesh Yadav's UP model had some success—hope Maharashtra learns from it.
A step in the right direction, but I have two concerns: First, will the task force have enough manpower to monitor all 36 districts? Second, the illegal sex determination rackets are often linked to powerful politicians. Will the task force act impartially? The reward increase is impressive, but what about protecting the doctors who refuse to do illegal scans? They face threats. Overall, a good initiative—but implementation will make or break it. Another classic Mumbai announcement, but let's see the action.
M Manisha Kayande (Political View) I was part of the discussion in the Council and I must say, the minister responded positively. But the real issue is the deep-rooted mindset that prefers sons. Laws alone won't change that—we need massive awareness campaigns in villages, especially in Marathwada and Vidarbha where the sex ratio is alarming. The ₹1 lakh reward is a good start, but I'd like to see monthly reports from the task force made public. Transparency is key. Let's not let this become another file-pushing exercise. We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.