New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh launched a portal to modernise the mechanism to prevent illegal sex determination at ultrasound clinics on Friday.

The PC & PNDT portal will help automate certain aspects of the implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act.

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The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection for regulation of prenatal diagnostic techniques used to detect genetic abnormalities or illegal sex determination that leads to female foeticide, among other things.

The portal, unveiled during a state-level workshop at the Delhi Secretariat, aims to streamline the registration of diagnostic centres, enable real-time monitoring, and ensure greater accountability in preventing the misuse of ultrasound technology for sex determination, a statement said.

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Addressing the gathering, Singh said, “The issue of sex determination is deeply rooted in our society. Delhi, as the national capital, must set a precedent for the country in combating this menace."

"This digital initiative will enhance transparency, improve enforcement, and contribute to raising Delhi's sex ratio which is currently at 922,” he said.

The newly launched portal offers automated submission of "Form F" at ultrasound clinics, an online complaint registration system for people, and real-time updates on their compliance status, replacing manual processes with a digital framework for efficient oversight, the statement said.

The minister praised health officials for their efforts, highlighting that 627 inspections were conducted in 2024-25, resulting in 70 show cause notices, 13 suspensions, 53 cancellations and 22 ultrasound machines being sealed.

Legal actions, including decoy operations, were also undertaken to crack down on violations, the statement said.

The workshop saw participation from senior health department officials, doctors, NGO representatives, and PC & PNDT nodal officers, it added.

The Directorate of Family Welfare briefed the minister on ongoing awareness campaigns and legal measures. Officials said that outreach efforts, including billboards, newspaper ads, and community programmes under the ‘Beti Utsav' initiative, have been intensified to promote gender equality and the importance of the girl child.

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