Question : Population Control

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 thereof;

(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 improvement by the Government, if so, the details thereof and the comprehensive action plan of the 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 the campaign was launched in 2016 and the present second phase comprising TV Commercials, posters and hoardings, yearlong 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 year to 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 Mission Parivar Vikas districts.
(b): The Government is implementing various schemes for improving access to quality family planning services, details of which are placed in Annexure.

As a result of these efforts, the country is knocking on the door of replacement level 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 and Development) which unequivocally advocates voluntary informed choice and honouring reproductive rights of couples to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.