Chandigarh, Sep 8 (IANS): Girls aged up to five years will not have to pay any diagnostic fee in Punjab government hospitals, a spokesman said here Sunday.
"The government will not take user charges or diagnostic fee from girls less than five years old for any treatment in government hospitals," the spokesman said.
The facility is likely to benefit thousands of girls.
Punjab has one of the worst sex ratios in the country at 895 females against 1,000 males.
The spokesman said that the government has taken various initiatives to improve the sex ratio, including free facilities for women, cashless delivery service and free treatment to children up to one year of age.