Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor on Thursday said that Haryana was a badly affected state as far as female foeticide was concerned.

"The sex ratio has slightly increased in the state recently. However, it is still adverse and more efforts are needed to improve the sex ratio," he said.

There could not be stability in a society that did not have a balanced sex ratio, he added.

The General was addressing the NCC cadets of Haryana before flagging off their `Save the Girl Child' rally in Karnal.

Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda called upon the National Cadet Corps cadets to make `Save the Girl Child' campaign a mass movement so as to rid the society of the evil of female foeticide.

Hooda said that the campaign would heighten public awareness of the evil of female foeticide, which would help eradicate this evil from the society.

He said, "Female foeticide is against our culture, as women have always occupied a very important place in our society. We have a culture of respecting women. Women always played a vital role in the success of every great man".

"Female foeticide is not only a crime against law, but also a stigma on humanity", said Hooda, adding, "Illiteracy, some misconceptions and customs prevailing in our society are mainly responsible for this evil".

However, efforts being made by the state government to change the mindset of the people towards the fair sex had started bearing fruit and the sex ratio had slightly improved from 819 to 863 per thousand, he said.

Later, Hooda flagged off the `NCC-Save the Girl Child' rally. More than 1,200 NCC officers and cadets from all over Haryana took part in the rally.

NCC cadets across the state will be organising similar rallies in their respective cities and towns to spread the message of `Save the Girl Child' among the people of Haryana.