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Amendments to Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act soon: Delhi LG office

The amendments are touted to ensure universal access to comprehensive abortion care and termination of certain pregnancies by a registered medical practitioner (RMP) for women.

Statesman News Service | New Delhi | December 28, 2023 11:59 pm

Amendments to Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act soon: Delhi LG office

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena

Delhi is finally on track to notify women-friendly amendments in the Medical Treatment of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the Lieutenant Governor’s office said on Thursday.

These amendments are touted to ensure universal access to comprehensive abortion care and termination of certain pregnancies by a registered medical practitioner (RMP) for women.

Delhi LG VK Saxena has approved the proposal of the Department of Health and Family Welfare for issuance of notifications of the Statutory Forms under the MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021.

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It is over two years since Parliament amended the MTP Act and the Centre’s communication to all states and UTs to notify the same.

The amended Act also has a provision of a medical board to permit a termination beyond 24 weeks under circumstances determined by it.

The Union Health Ministry had communicated to the states and UTs in December 2021, directing them to notify updated Forms I, II & III in the official Gazette under MTP Regulations.

However, Saxena expressed displeasure over the delay in the presentation of the proposal for approval which was communicated to the state by the Central government way back in December 2021. He directed the Health Department to probe into the lapses that led to delay and assign responsibility.

He stressed the need for caution while processing of such important matters in future.

Two years ago in 2021, significant amendments were put in place to the MTP Act, reducing the requirement for opinions from two RMPs to one with up to 20 weeks of gestation.

The salient amendments made in Form-I (RMP Opinion Form) requires name, qualifications and address of only one RMP.

Significantly, the word “Married Woman”, in the earlier form, has been replaced by “Woman” and the word “Husband” has been replaced with partner, the LG office said in a statement.

In the Form II, which stipulates the regulations, three additional sub-heads regarding the duration of pregnancy have been added and reasons for termination of pregnancy have been bifurcated into A,B and C depending on weeks of gestation.

The Form III concerns admission register in which a phrase has been added for pregnancy beyond 24 weeks and names of Medical Board Members have to be mentioned.

The LG was informed that the proposal of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, GNCTD regarding the notification of the statutory forms has been endorsed by the health minister and approved by the chief minister.

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Water woes: Delhi LG accuses Atishi of using death of woman for pol gains

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday wrote an open letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressing displeasure over Water Minister Atishi's letter to him alleging that she has chosen to use an unfortunate death of a woman for narrow political gains. LG in his letter to Kejriwal alleged that the minister drew a conclusion based on news reports and resorted to blame game, where she had underlined inadequate water supply as the cause behind the incident, despite the police still probing the circumstances of the tragic death. The LG termed her note addressed to him as a prima facie admission of guilt, inaction and inefficiency over the past ten years. He pointed out that the unfortunate incident was not the only such case of its kind in Delhi, but many such incidents happened in the past due to the government's failure, he claimed. Mentioning that the water minister has again targeted the Chief Secretary who is also DJB CEO and officers of Finance and UD, the LG alleged that the Delhi ministers have time and again blamed officers for their own failures in different situations. The LG further highlighted facts brought in the economic survey 2023- 24 tabled by Finance Minister, and informed CM that water treatment over the last decade grew marginally from 906 MGD to 946 MGD, which was barely 4.4 per cent increase, while during the same period Delhi's population has significantly grown by 15 per cent, LG added. He mentioned that of the total water supplied, 120 MGD comes from the ground water, which he claimed was exaggeration, adding that out of the 16 Ranney Wells, five are non functional. LG in his open letter to CM also mentioned that water leakages through transmission and distribution losses, theft and other factors have seen a sharp spike from 45 per cent in 2015 to 58 per cent in 2022- 23. Net water availability over the last decade has decreased by more than 100 MGD due to criminal neglect by the Delhi government, LG alleged. The LG has also claimed in his letter to CM that the rich are getting an abundant supply of water which is nearly 35 buckets per person, while poor colonies' water supply is less than 50 litre per person on a daily basis. He also said he was dismayed and disturbed while addressing budget session where his speech approved by the CM mentioned that 7 percent of households in the city do not receive piped water supply, which also is a gross understatement of the problem, Saxena claimed, adding that during his visits to slums and unauthorised colonies and rural areas it was evident that the magnitude was far greater, he added, further questioning as to whether this was the world class city which the Delhi government has been promising the citizens since a decade. LG also questioned and pointed that instead of fixing the water supply issues, CM and his ministers created a chimera of free water, alleging that deception of people was mastered by the ministers. He further expressed that in the present circumstances CM would not be able to do much about the situation, except to reflect and introspect.