Lok Sabha Question No. 3423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Population Growth
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Keshari Devi Patel, Kanakmal Katara

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3423 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  DECEMBER, 2021

## POPULATION GROWTH

## 3423.   SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL: SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA:

Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the steps being taken by the Government to tackle imbalanced population growth along with the details thereof;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to address the issue of huge gap in population growth of various communities along with the details thereof;

- (c) whether the Government proposes to create a special monitoring team to monitor the rapid increase in the population ratio, especially in border areas and to prevent infiltration; and

(d) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) & (b) In an effort to tackle imbalanced population growth, and to address the issue of gap in the same, the Government provides contraceptive information, services and commodities to all communities  universally  free  of  cost.  Moreover,  the  Government  is  implementing  various schemes, to ensure access and last mile availability of Family Planning services few of which are mentioned below:

1. Mission Parivar Vikas (MPV) is implemented in 13 states for substantially increasing access to contraceptives and family planning services. These states are seven high focus states  (Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Rajasthan,  Jharkhand,  Chhattisgarh  and Assam) and six North-Eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram).

The MPV scheme focuses on:

-  improving access to contraceptives
-  promotional schemes
-  ensuring commodity security
-  capacity building of personnel
-  intensive monitoring
2. Expanded  Contraceptive Choices : The current contraceptive basket comprising Condoms, Combined oral contraceptive pills, Emergency contraceptive pills, Intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) and Sterilization has been expanded with inclusion of new contraceptives viz. Injectable contraceptive (under Antara programme) and Centchroman (Chhaya).
3. Compensation  scheme  for  sterilization  acceptors which  provides  compensation  for loss of wages to the beneficiary.
4. Post-partum Intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD) services are  provided post delivery.
5. Scheme for Home Delivery of contraceptives by  ASHAs  at  doorstep  of  beneficiaries has been taken up.
6. Family Planning Logistics Management Information System (FP-LMIS): A dedicated software has been launched to ensure smooth forecasting, procurement and distribution of family planning commodities across all the levels of health facilities.

(c)  &  (d)  The  Government  has  adopted  a  multi-pronged  approach  to  contain  cross-border infiltration which inter-alia includes deployment of Border Guarding Forces along the International  Borders,  erection  of  border  fencing  and  floodlighting,  effective  domination  of borders by patrolling, laying Nakas, manning observation posts along the borders, vulnerability mapping  of  Border  Out  Posts  (BOPs),  deployment  of  special  surveillance  equipment  and vehicles like Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI), Night Vision Device (NVD), Twin telescope, UAVs,  Long  Range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS),  Battle Field Surveillance  Radar  (BFSR),  Integrated  surveillance  technology  equipped  with  CCTV/PTZ Cameras,  IR  sensors  and  Infrared  alarm  with  command  and  control  system,  relentless  antiinfiltration operations, strengthening of intelligence network, anti-tunelling exercise in vulnerable  areas  and  deployment  of  water  crafts/  boats,  floating  BOPs  and  technological solutions in non-feasible border areas like riverine gaps etc.