Will the recently announced cash incentives to poor mothers
giving birth to girls really help to discourage female
infanticide, female foeticide or the pervasive neglect of girl-
children? The Indian government recently announced the new
Janani Suraksha Yojana (Safe Motherhood scheme) in an attempt to
end gender discrimination and female infanticide. The scheme now
offers a higher incentive (Rs 1000 [$US1=Rs47.5] instead of Rs
500) to poor mothers giving birth to girls. Previously, a woman
got Rs 500 at the birth of a boy or girl. But now if she gives
birth to a daughter, she will receive Rs 1,000. Union Health
Minister Sushma Swaraj claimed that the new scheme would
encourage the nurturing of baby girls and induce women to go to
a hospital for their delivery in order to collect the cash
incentives. In several rural areas, babies continue to be born
in homes without even trained midwives. Under the new scheme,
pregnant women will also receive Rs 150 "for transport to a
hospital" for pre-natal check-ups. Lack o