NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY, 2000

The National Population Policy was announced on February 15, 2000 with objectives  aimed at meeting the needs for contraception, health care infrastructure, health personnel and integrated service delivery. The mid-term objectives are outlined as aimed at bringing the total fertility to replacement levels ? two children per couple ? by a vigorous implementation of intersectoral strategies. The long-term objective is stabilisation of population for 2045. The policy has outlined 16 promotional and motivational measures to implement it vigorously. Among these, the more important are reward Panchayats and Zila Parishads for promoting small family norm, strict enforcement of Child Marriage Restraint Act and Pre-natal Diagnostics Techniques Act, Health insurance covers of Rs. 5,000 for couples below poverty line, with two living children, who undergo sterilisation and rewards for couples below poverty line, who marry after legal age, have first child after the mother reaches 21, accept small family norm and undergo sterilisation after birth of two children.

NATIONAL COMMISSION ON POPULATION

National Commission on Population was constituted in May 2000. It is Chaired by the Prime Minister with the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission as Vice Chairman. Chief Ministers of all states, Ministers of the related Central Ministries, secretaries of the concerned Departments, eminent physicians, demographers and the representatives of the civil society are Members of the Commission. The Commission has the mandate to review, monitor and give direction for implementation of the National Population Policy with the view to achieve the goals set in the Population Policy, promote synergy between health, educational environmental and developmental programmes so as to hasten population stabilization, promote inter sectoral coordination in planning and implementation of the programmes through different sectors and agencies in center and the statesand develop a vigorous peoples programme to support this national effort. The National Population Stabilisation Fund was constituted under the National Commission on Population in July 2000. Subsequently it was transferred to the Department of Health and Family Welfare in April 2002.

Some Concepts

What is Demographic Transition?

"Demographic transition" is a model that describes population change over time. It defines four clear stages of population growth that nations often traverse in tandem with their socio-economic development.

This transition from a stable population with high mortality and high fertility to a stable population with low mortality and low fertility is called demographic transition. India is currently at the third stage.

Demographic Dividend

Millennium Development Goals

3 of the Millennium Development Goals relate to gender, child mortality and maternal health.

Maternal Mortality Ratio 

MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births due to causes related to pregnancy or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.(212 for India)

Causes of High Maternal Mortality 

• Around 30% of all women need emergency care during delivery.
• Only 35% of all deliveries are conducted by a doctor.
• Only 15% are conducted by a nurse, ANM, midwife or Lady Health Visitor.
• In urban areas more than 69% of the deliveries took place in institutions but in rural areas only 30% took place in institutions. (DLHS2)

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is defined as the infant deaths (less than one year) per thousand live births(44 for India)

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is the average number of children expected to be born per woman during her entire span of reproductive period.( 2.5 for India)

Fertility and Fecundity are closely related terms in reproductive biology. Fertility is the “ability” of a man and a woman to reproduce an offspring. In other words, it is the ability of a woman to get pregnant and the ability of a man to make a woman pregnant. And so, in medical science, if a man and women are not able to conceive a child after more than one year of unprotected sex, they are suspected to suffer from infertility.

Fecundity, on the other hand, is the actual realisation of this ability of a man and women. This means if a man and a woman utilise their fertility powers and reproduce, they are fecund. Fecundity is, thus, calculated in terms of the number of babies a couple has. Fecundity of a population can be calculated in a similar fashion (birth rate).

Note that a man and a woman might be fertile, i.e. capable of reproduction, but would decide not to conceive (via protected sex, birth control pills, etc.) and hence would not be fecund. The other way round is not true for if a couple is fecund, they have to be fertile.

Sex Ratio

No of females per 1000 males (914 [0-6 age group) and 940 (overall)]

(i)   Motivating the people through persuasion. The most important element in population policy has been persuasion and not coercion. People are persuaded to accept small family norms. This is done by propagating the need and programmes of birth central. Population education has also been included in school curriculum.

(ii) Family planning and health centres were set up in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. These centres besides educating the people about family planning also provide facilities like immunisation and other health services. These centres also provide various devices for birth control.

(iii)       The age at marriage for male and female has been raised to 21 years and 18 years respectively.

(iv)       Various kinds of methods have been adopted for reducing births. These inchide condom, loop, sterilization, pills etc.

(v) In motivating people to practise birth control methods, various types of incentives such as cash, additional increment in salary etc. are provided.

(vi)       Training institutions have been set up to train family planning workers. Various research centres have also been set up.

(vii)      Various steps have been taken to promote female education and provide more employment opportunities to women. Female education and employment of women have a direct bearing on birth rate. It has been observed that educated and employed women have smaller number of children.

(viii) Involving people, private agencies and other institutions like panchayats in family welfare programmes has been one of the new strategies of family planning.