(a) the role of Gram Panchayats and Zila Parishads in the implementation of the population policy, 2000;
(b) whether the proposed National Commission of Population would include the representatives from the Members of Parliament; and
(c) if so, the details in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM)
(a) The National Population Policy envisages decentralized planning and program implementation by delegation of administrative and financial powers, including power of resource mobilization to gram panchayats and zila parishads.
(b)& (c) The National Population Policy envisages National Commission on Population, presided over by the Prime Minister has since been notified. A copy of the Notification is annexed.
Annexure
(To be published in the Gazette of India, Part I, Section I)
No.A-43011/17/2000-Adm.I Government of India Planning Commission
Yojana Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi, 11th May, 2000
RESOLUTION
India was the first country to recognise that population stabilisation is an essential prerequisite for sustainable development and formulated a National Family Planning Programme in 1952. During the next two decades, the country phase of demographic transition to rapidly achieve both population stabalisation and sustainable achievement in human development. There is an urgent need for planners, programme implementors and the people themselves to expedite this process by focusing on promoting synergy between demographic, educational, environmental and developmental programmes in order to achieve this goal. To provide overall guidance to this national effort, the Government of India has decided to constitute a NATIONAL COMMISSION ON POPULATION, as under, with immediate effect:-
Chairman
Prime Minister of India
Vice Chairman
Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.
Members
Union Minister incharge of Education Union Minister incharge of Environment and Forests Union Minister incharge of Finance Union Minister incharge of Health and Family Welfare Union Minister incharge of Information and Broadcasting Union Minister incharge of Rural Development Union Minister incharge of Social Justice and Empowerment Union Minister incharge of Urban Development Union Minister incharge of Women and Child Development Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Chief Ministers of All States/Union Territories Dr. (Smt.) Najma Heptulla, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Leader of Communist Party of India (Shri Kusha Bhau Thakre) Leader of Communist Party of India (A.B. Bardhan) Leader of Indian National Congress (Smt. Sonia Ghandi, MP) Leader of Nationalist Congress Party (Shri Sharad Pawar, M.P.) Leader of Janata Dal (United) (Shri Sharad Yadav, M.P.) Mrs. Margaret Alva, Member of Parliament Shri Purno Sangma, Member of Parliament Smt. Shabana Azmi, Member of Parliament Shri Vinod Khanna, Member of Parliament President, Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India President, Confederation of Indian Industries President, Editors Guild of India President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry President, Federation of Obst. & Gyna. Society of India, FOGSI President, Indian Medical Association President, Indian Newspapers Society President, Indian Nursing Council Representative, Jain T.V. (Dr. J.K. Jain) President, Medical Council of India Representative, STAR T.V. (Shri Prannoy Roy) Representative SUN T.V. Representative, ZEE T.V. (Shri Subhash Chandra) Professor Abad Ahmed Mr. Abhay Bang, SEARCH, Gadchiroli Shri A.C. Muthiah Shri Alok Mukhopadhyay, Chairman, VHAI Shri Alyque Padamsee Dr. A. Vaidyanathan, Madras Institute of Development Studies Shri Aveed Sarkar, Telegraph Dr. Banoo Coyaji, Director, KEM Hospital, Rastapet Shri Barun Sengupta, Bartman Dr. Darshan Shankar (ISM), President, Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions Dr. E.K. Iqbal, KSSP Smt. Ela Bhatt, SEWA, Ahmedabad Smt. Imrana Qadir, Professor, Population Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Ms. Jaya Naitley Ms. Jayanti Natrajan Shri K. Gopalkrishna, President, JANANI Dr. K. Srinivasan, President, Indian Association for Study of Population Dr. Mahip Singh Shri Mammen Mathew, Malayalam Manorama Professor Mohd. Amin, Ex. V.C., Jamia Hamdard Ms. Mohsina Kidwai Shri Narayana Murthy Shri Narendra Mohan, Dainik Jagaran Dr. Neena Puri, President FPIA Mrs. Neidonud Angami, President, Naga Mothers`s Association Shri N. Ravi, The Hindu Dr. N. S. Deodhar, Pune Ms. Padma Sachdeva Shri Prabhash Joshi, Jansatta Dr. Pravin Visaria, Director, IEG, Delhi Shri P.N. Tripathi, AVARD Shri Qari M.M. Majari, Urdu, Secular Qayadat Ms. Quatarlain Haider Ms. Ragni Ben Banwari, Seva Ashram, U.P. Dr. Rajnikant Arole, Jamkihed Project, Ahmednagar Ms. Rami Chhabra Shri Ramoji Rao, ENNADU Ms. Rani Bang SEARCH, Gadchiroli Shri Ratan Tata Shri R. Srinivasan, Ex-Health Secretary Dr. Saroj Pachauri, Regional Director, South and South East Asia Population Council Ms. Sharmila Tagore Ms. Sheema Rizvi, MLC, UP Dr. Sudershan (Right Livelihood Awardee), Mysore Prof. Sunder Lal, Rohtak Medical College, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine Dr. Susheela Nayyar, Gandhi Medical College, Wardha Prof. Swapna Mukhopadhyay, IEG, Institute of Social Studies Trust Smt. Thelma Narayan, International Health Network of WHO Dr. Trilochan Singh Dr. V.A. Pai Panandhikar, Centre for Policy Research
Member - Secretary
Smt. Krishna Singh, Planning Commission
2. In addition to the above composition, the following shall be Permanent Invitees to the Commission:-
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Cabinet Secretary Secretary to the Prime Minister Secretary, Department of Elementary Education Secretary, Department of Family Welfare Secretary, Finance Secretary, Department of Health Secretary, Department of Higher and Technical Education Secretary, Member-Secretary, Planning Commission Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister (Incharge of Health and Family Welfare)
3. The terms of reference of the Commission shall be as under:-
(i) To review, monitor and give directions for the implementation of the National Population Policy with a view to meeting the goals set out in the Policy.
(ii) To promote synergy between demographic, educational, environmental and developmental programmes so as to hasten, population stabilization.
(iii) To promote inter-sectoral coordination in planning and implementation across government agencies of the Central and State Governments, to involve the civil society and the private sector and to explore the possibilities of international cooperation in support of the goals set out in the Policy.
(iv) To facilitate the development of a vigorous people`s movement in support of this national effort.
4. If necessary, the Commission may associate any Expert Body or person in pursuance of its objectives. The Commission shall normally meet twice every year or as often as may be considered necessary. The Commission may constitute Working Groups/Task Forces to plan and strategise initiatives necessary to implement the Population Policy.
5. The Secretariat to the Commission shall be located in the Planning Commission.
6. In the matters relating to the grant of TA/DA to the Non-Official Members of the Commission for attending meetings etc. of the Commission or its sub-groups, the expenditure will be borne by the Planning Commission and the necessary payment shall be made by it as per the rules governing grant of TA/DA to Non-Official Members. In the case of Official Members of the Commission, they will draw TA/DA from their respective Officers.
Sd/-
(N.C. Saxena) Secretary to the Govt. of India
ORDER
ORDERED that a copy of the resolution be communicated to:-
1. All the Members of the Commission
2. Chief Secretaries of All States/Union Territories
3. Secretaries of All Ministries/Department of the Govt. of India
4. Secretary to the President
5. Secretary to the Prime Minister 6. Cabinet Secretary
7 Governor, Reserve Bank of India
8. All Embassies/High Commissions of India Abroad (Through Ministry of External Affairs)
ORDERED also that the resolution be published in the Gazette of India for general information.
Sd/- S(N.C. Saxena) Secretary to the Govt. of India
The General Manager Government of India Press Faridabad.