Question : TWO - CHILD NORM

(a) the present status of implementation of the two-child norm in the country, State/ UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government has prepared/proposes to prepare any Bill in this regard; and

(c) if so, the details thereof indicating its present status?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a): As per the National Population Policy (NPP), 2000, the family welfare programme in India is voluntary in nature which enables a couple to adopt the family planning methods, best suited to them according to their choice without any compulsion. The policy envisages promoting small family norm without prescribing for any number of children.

(b) & (c): The Constitution (Seventy-Ninth Amendment Bill, 1992) was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 22nd December, 1992. The Bill seeks to amend the Directive Principles of State Policy to include promotion of population control and the small family norm. It also proposed to include in the Fundamental Duties, a duty to promote and adopt the small family norm. It has been proposed that a person shall be disqualified from being chosen as a Member of either House of Parliament or either House of Legislature of a State if the Member has more than two children. The proposed amendment will, however, have prospective effect and would not apply to any person who has more than two children on the date of commencement of these amendments or within a period of one year of such commencement.

As per the recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development which considered the Bill, the Government might consider convening a meeting of the leaders of various political parties in Parliament for further consultation on the Bill to arrive at a consensus for its smooth passage in the Parliament. In pursuance of this recommendation, meetings of leaders of various political parties were held on 14th August 1997 and 13th December 1999, but no consensus could emerge in favour of the Bill.

In view of the provisions of the NPP, 2000 affirming commitment of the Government towards voluntary and informed choice and consent of citizens while availing of reproductive health care services with target free approach in administering family planning services, launching of NRHM in April, 2005 and the re-affirmation of the then Hon’ble Prime Minister about commitment of the Government for voluntary and informed choice of availing reproductive health care services, where there is no place for incentives and disincentive, a draft Cabinet Note for withdrawal of the Bill was proposed in August 2007. However, no decision has been taken on the fate of the Bill