Gandhinagar, Mar 27 (IANS): There are 955 females per every thousand males in Gujarat says the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data tabled in the state Assembly on Friday.

Replying to a question by Kanti Parmar, the Legislator from Thasra constituency, the Health Minister Nitin Patel, through a written reply, said that the birth rate in the state is 18.03 and the sex ratio is 955 of the state.

The Information was disclosed in the ongoing Budget session of the state Assembly.

According to the information, the urban areas in the state tend to have a more unbalanced ratio as compared to the rural areas.

Considered to be an NRI township, the Anand district is having the lowest male-female ratio which is 726 females per 1,000 males. The highest ratio was reported in Bhavnagar 1,192 females per 1,000 males.

There are two other districts in Gujarat, which are notorious for having the worst Child Sex Ratio, Mehsana (742) and Gandhinagar (766).

Whereas, eight districts in the state, have a healthy CSR. Tapi districts has 1,185 female per 1,000 males followed by Dangs (1,143), Bharuch (1,112), Rajkot (1049), Porbandar (1,045), Dahod (1,013), and Navsari (1,006).

Patel informed the House that social beliefs are the reason for the huge difference in the male-female ratio.

Replying to the question on what was being done to improve the sex ratio, the government said that extensive mass awareness campaigns were carried out in the state and the female foeticide prevention act was strictly implemented.