Lok Sabha Question No. 1054 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Population Control
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Mukesh Rajput, Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Khagen Murmu, Ajay (Teni) Misra, Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1054 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND NOVEMBER, 2019

## POPULATION CONTROL

## 1054. SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT:

SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISRA TENI:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  Government  proposes  to sensitize  people  and  make  them  aware  of the  need  for population control, if so, the details the reof;
- (b) whether the Government has any scheme/prepared any action plan/taken steps for population control due to constraints of land and other resources on account of growing population, if so, the details thereof and the achievements as on date and the extent to which further population control is likely to be brought through this scheme/action plan/steps in the future;
- (c) whether the said scheme requires imp ovement by the Government, if so, the details thereof and the comprehensive action plan of th e Government in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to make a law for population control in India, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): The Government is taking several steps to sensitize people and generate awareness of the need for population control. Some of the important initiatives are as follows :
- (i) 360 degree media campaign - The first phase of t he campaign was launched in 2016 and the  present  second  phase  comprising  TV  Commercials,  posters  and  hoardings,  yearlon Radio show, and a dedicated website on Family Planning was launched in 2017 ;
- (ii) World Population Day & fortnight as well as Vasectomy Fortnight are observed every yearto boost awareness.
- (iii) Promotional activities like Saas bahu sammelans, Nayi Pehel Kits, Mobile publicity vans, and advocacy meetings are undertaken to increase awareness in high fertility Mi Parivar Vikas distric ts.

(b) : The Government is implementing various schemes for improving access to quality fami planning services, details of which are placed in Annexure .

As a result of these efforts, the country is knocking on the door of replacemen fertility and is on track to achieve TFR 2.1 by 2025.

## Achievements:

- The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined to 2.2 (SRS 2017).
- The Crude Birth Rate has declined from 23.8 to 20.2 from 2005 to 2017 (SRS).
- The Teenage birth rate has halved from 16% (NFHS III) to 8% (NFHS IV).

(c) : In order to improve programme implementation, the Government is focussing on :

- High fertility districts,
- Giving emphasis on spacing methods,
- Improvement in quality of services and
- Intensive monitoring.

(d) : The Government does not have such a proposal at present since India is signatory to the ICPD  declaration  of  1994  held  in  Cairo  (International  Conference  on  Population Development)  which  unequivocally  advocates  voluntary  informed  choice  and  honouring rep roductive rights of couples to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing o children.

## ANNEXURE

## STEPS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR POPULATION CONTROL :

1. Mission Parivar Vikas -The Government has launched MissionParivar Vikasfor substantially  increasing  access  to  contraceptives  and  family  planning  services  in14 fertility districts with Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 3 and above in seven high foc These  districts  are  from  the  states  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Rajas than,  Madhya  Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Assam that itself constitutes 44% of the country's population.
2. New  Contraceptive  Choices -New contraceptives  viz.  Injectable contraceptive Centchroman have been added to the existing basket of choices .
3. A  new  method  of  IUCD  insertion  immediately  after  delivery  i.e. post - partum  IUCD (PPIUCD) has been introduced.
4. Redesigned Contraceptive Packaging -The packaging for Condoms, OCPs and ECPs has now been improved and redesigned so as to increase the demand for these commodities.
5. Compensation scheme for sterilization acceptors -U nder the scheme MoHFW provides compensation for loss of wages to the beneficiary and also to the service provider (& for conducting sterilizations.
6. Clinical Outreach Teams (CO T) Scheme The scheme has been launched in 146 Mission Parivar Vikas districts for providing Family planning services through mobile teams accredited organizations n far - flung, underserved and geographically difficult areas.
7. Scheme for Home deliveryof contraceptives by ASHAs at doorstep of beneficiaries.
8. Scheme for ASHAs to Ensure spacing in births.
9. Scheme  for  provision  of Pregnancy  TestingKits in  the  drug  kits  of  ASHAs  for  use  in communities.
10. Family Planning  Logistic  Management  and  Information  Sys tem  (FP- LMIS): A dedicated  software  to  ensure  smooth  forecasting,  procurement  and  distribution  of  f planning commodities across all the levels of health facilities.
11. National Family Planning Indemnity Scheme (NFPIS) under which clients are insured in t he eventualities of death, complication and failure following sterilization.
12. 12.Ensuring  quality  of  care  in  Family  Planning  services  by  establishing Quality  Assurance Committees in all states and districts.
13. 13.Appointment of dedicated RMNCH+A counselors at high case load facilities.
14. 14.Improved Demand generation activities through a 360 degree media campaign.

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