PANT CALLS UPON THE STATES TO REORIENT
PROGRAMMES
FOR SMALL FAMILY NORMS
The Deputy Chairman,
Planning Commission, Shri K.C. Pant has called upon the States
to consider necessary changes in the strategy, programmes and
policies to actively promote small family norms as substantial
increase in the allocation in recent years, family welfare programmes
have not yielded desired impact. He stated that nearly half of
India’s population live in States and Districts where birth order
of 3 or more form more than 50% of all births. And it is due to
unmet needs for contraceptions in these areas. Field visits undertaken
by National Commission for Population have also confirmed that
generally the quality and coverage of family planning services
remain very poor in the rural areas and urban slums. On the other
hand, experience of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where fertility
rate has shown steep decline in spite of relatively lower socio-economic
indices suggests that family planning targets can be achieved
even if some of the indicators remained unfavourably. Shri Pant
urged the States presently lagging behind to draw on the experience
of more successful States, he added that achieving population
stabilisation at the earliest should be viewed as an essential
pre-requisite for reaching the various objectives of national
development rather than as an isolated target itself.
Underlining
the importance of involvement of people’s representatives at the
grassroot level in formulating and implementing development programmes
including spreading the message of small family norm, he said
the information and communication revolution and all form of media
could be harnessed to generate the conviction among the people
at large that keeping the family size small is in their self-interest
and the larger interest of the community. Shri Pant disclose that
after identifying the high fertility rate, the NCP has provided
additional Central Assistance to 65 districts during the last
2 years for improving the infrastructural facilities. In order
to facilitate implementation of area specific population stabilisation
programmes it is for the States to set up Family Welfare Society
under the District Magistrate, which should be more autonomous
and give in flexibility to draw up and implement area specific
programmes. Adequate representation to elected political representatives,
NGOs and youth organisations should
be given in these societies. Shri Pant said on its part National
Commission on Population is introducing a scheme for extending
Grants in Aid to the District level organisations for undertaking
programmes relevant to population stabilization. He expressed
the hope that deliberations at the Conference will contribute
to accelerating the realisation of the goals and objectives outlined
in the National Population Policy.
Addressing
the Conference, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Union HRD Minister said
that women’s education plays vital role in our family welfare
programme and nation building. The States which have achieved
significant success in women’s literacy have also recorded very
positive trend in population control. Expressing concern over
strength of doctors and teachers in rural areas, Dr. Joshi said
that success cannot be achieved in social sectors like family
planning until the number of doctors and teachers in rural areas
is increased. He said that UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan play very
important role in our demographic structure as all the parameters
of success are linked to their performance. Hence, women welfare
family welfare programmes in these States require high priority.
Speaking
on the occasion, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Shri
Shatrughan Sinha said that achieving population stabilisation
or substantially improving health status in Bihar or UP is very
complex due to the prevailing socio-economic conditions viz. Poverty,
unemployment, and above all poor primary health infrastructure.
To address these problems, flow of funds to these States had been
steadily increasing, he added. The Minister informed that from
Rs. 109 crore that were released for taking up several initiatives
in these States during 2001-02, the amount proposed to be released
is estimated to be Rs. 325 crore for the remaining part of the
current 2002-03. It is in addition to Rs. 172 crore already available
with the States making a total of Rs. 498 crore to be spent by
March 2003. He further stated that the Centre was ready to provide
more funds and express the hope that the State Governments would
develop the required capacity to absorb the additional resources.
The
Minister disclosed that the Centre would be fully funding the
sub-centres established for every 5000 population as per 1991
census. In exchange the rural family welfare centres and the post
partum centres for which financial support was being given by
the Union Government have now been handed over to the State Governments
for management. He said that this was an important policy initiative
to enable the States to ensure that for every 5000 population
the services of the qualified ANM were available to the communities.
The
Minister also emphasised on rationalisation of the recording of
target families, registration of births and deaths and extending
communication through use of electronic system as this was another
area to be given priority along with the implementation of the
family welfare programme. This is to be done in coordination with
the Gram Panchayat and Peoples’ representatives, added Shri Sinha.
Expressing concern
over the unethical practice of female foeticide, Shri Sinha said
that child sex ratio in the age group 0-6 years in some States/UTs
is disturbing. The Central Cabinet has approved amendments to
the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Act, 1994 to check its misuse. He urged
the States to enforce the provisions of the Act vigorously.
One day conference
of a States Population Commission called by National Commission
on Population is being attended by States Health Ministers, Central
Ministries, NGOs and other concerned organisations. The Conference
will deliberate the strategies, problems and successful stories
relating to population stabilization.
