Odisha tightens PCPNDT Act enforcement with stricter ultrasound clinic inspections
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday ordered stricter inspections of ultrasound clinics and closer monitoring in districts with poor sex ratios at birth to strengthen enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT Act).
The decision was taken during a state supervisory board meeting on the effective implementation of the PCPNDT Act, chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The meeting centred on ways to improve the state's sex ratio, with the minister stressing that districts lagging on this front need focused, effective intervention. He called for strengthening district-level committees and subjecting ultrasound clinics to more rigorous and frequent inspection.
"Improving the sex ratio would require strict enforcement of the law, community participation and coordinated action by multiple departments. Greater emphasis should also be placed on awareness campaigns," Mahaling said.
The board also reviewed the state's progress on technology-driven implementation of the Act. Odisha has already rolled out online registration and renewal of ultrasound facilities, digital Form-F reporting, coordination with the Odisha Council of Medical Registration (OCMR) to verify registered medical practitioners, and authentication of beneficiaries through their ABHA registration.
Officials said these digital measures have helped improve transparency, accountability, and overall monitoring of ultrasound facilities in the state.
According to a report by The New Indian Express, the Board also reviewed enforcement action taken between 2024 and 2026, during which district authorities conducted 649 inspections, and state authorities carried out 11. This resulted in six illegal ultrasound clinics being sealed, as many ultrasound machines seized, FIRs registered, and disciplinary action being initiated against government doctors.
During its review of the sex ratio at birth (SRB) data across the state, the board found Jajpur to be the best-performing district, whereas Nayagarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, and Khurda emerged as the districts with the lowest SRB figures.
Authorities in these underperforming districts have now been directed to intensify monitoring efforts, ensure complete (100 per cent) verification of Form-F records, and carry out more extensive awareness activities to help improve the sex ratio at birth.
