Lok Sabha Question No. 4411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-12
Subject: Small Family Norms
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY, SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 4411 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH AUGUST, 2016

## SMALL FAMILY NORMS

## 4411. SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY: SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  awareness  programmes  for  population  control  an promoting small family norms;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government has taken the assistance of electronic visual and print media regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  programmes in  the  rural  areas  adopting  terminal methods to create a gap between the birth of two children and encourage families to accep family norms; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY W ELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a) to (c): Yes. The Government has launched various awareness programmes time to time for population control and promoting small family norms.

The Government of India has taken the assistance of electronic visual and print media as per details attached at Annexure .

- (d) & (e) : Under Family Planning, programmes are conducted in rural are as with special emphasis on theschemes of ensuring spacing at birth whereby ASHAs counsel eligib le couples on the importance of spacing of 2 years after marriage and spacing of 3 years after the birth of 1st birth of Child.

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## Annexure

In order to spread awareness about small family norms , especially among the states with high TFR, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has under taken 360 degree  communication  approach.  Focussed  activities  have  been  taken  up  through electronic, print, social media, Out of Home (OOH) and others such as M elas etc.

2. The  Ministry  has  been  carrying  out  extensive  awareness  campaigns  around World Population Day. The Ministry has not only released print advertisements but also launched one month campaign through private satellite channels, digital cinem as, and Doordarshan. The campaign was also aired through private FM Radio and AIR. The theme for this year's family planning campaign was 'JimmedariNibhao, Plan Banao'. Shri  Amitabh  Bachchan  was  also  roped  in  as  the  Brand  Ambassador  for  this  mega campaign.
3. Around the World Population Day, the Ministry has also beenorganising b ulk messaging  campaign s.  These campaignshave  beenundertaken  in  7  focussed  States (Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Orissa). These year totals of 70 Lakh  messages  weresent  in  two  days.  The  Ministry  also organises  painting competitions  for  school  students  wherein  hundreds  of  students  have  participated covering various themes under Family Planning.
4. In  a  unique  initiative,  the  Health  Ministry  has partnered  with  D irectorate of Field  Publicity in  2015 -2016  and  2016 - 17,  under  the  Ministry  of    Information  and Broadcasting, f or  mid - media  and  IPC  activities on  health  interventions  and  schemes under  the  RMNCH+A  umbrella.One  of  the  focus  themes  of  these  p rogrammes  has been Family Planning. Regular IPC/Mid Media activities will be conducted throughout the year in the Districts where the TFR is the highest.
5. As AIR and DD have a larger and better rural connect, and as many schemes and policies of the M inistry of Health and Family Welfare need to be disseminated more in the rural areas of the country, they are an integral partner of the roll out strategy the volum e  of  business  generated  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare ,Prasar Bharati thr ough an MOU with the Department of H ealth, has agreed to provide 300% bonus airtime to the Ministry for its IEC activities on DD Network during 2015 - 16 and 2016- 17.  This  will  provide  additional  airtime  for  enhanced  visibility  and  reach. A substantial part of these IEC campaigns focus on Family Planning.
6. Further, the Ministry is also harnessing the potential of Social Media. Its Twit handle has more than 300,000 followers. Regular tweets are sent on Family Planning from its Twitter Handle. The Mini stry has also uploaded videos on Family Planning on its YouTube channel. The YouTube Channel of the Ministry is regularly visited and has garnered more than 8,30,000 views.

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