Occurrence of female foeticide is not only due to lack of education: Pratibha Patil

President Pratibha Patil today said that female foeticide is prevalent not only in educationally backward strata of the society, but is also prevalent among well educated.

New Delhi, Oct 2 : President Pratibha Patil today said that female foeticide is prevalent not only in educationally backward strata of the society, but is also prevalent among well educated.

"Pre-birth elimination of the female child after sex selection is prevalent even amongst the educated and therefore the problem is not only due to lack of education," Pratibha Patil said during launch of the "Save the Girl Child" campaign at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

She emphasized that the girl child is not a curse, but a boon to the society and family.

Commenting on the declining sex ratio, the President said, "The adverse ratio can severely impact the delicate balance of nature and destroy our moral and social fabric."

Pratibha Patil also inaugurated the 58th TB Seal Campaign of the Tuberculosis Association of India, where Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss informed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised the TB Seal Csampaign as the largest public health programme in the world.

Later, President also released special commemorative medallions to mark 60th Year of India's Independence.

The gold medallions produced by the Mines and Minerals Trading Corporation (MMTC), are a tribute to freedom fighters whose efforts led to Independence.

Pratibha Patil congratulated the tribal boys of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology for winning the Under 14 International School Rugby Tournament in London recently.

ANI