India’s pace of population stabilisation matter of pride: Nadda

Minister talks about “life cycle” approach to population stabilisation

India has achieved a remarkable pace of population stabilisation, bringing the total fertility rate (TFR) down from 2.9 in 2015 to 2.2 in 2018, health minister J P Nadda said on Wednesday. TFR is the average number of children expected to be born to a woman during her lifetime.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop with the theme ‘Population stabilization: A right and Responsibility” on the occasion of World Population Day. The reduction, he said is a matter of pride for the country.

Nadda said: “We are addressing the issue of population stabilization in the country within the lifecycle framework. As part of this strategy, right from the time of conception till the child grows, various programs of the Ministry cater to the needs of immunization of the pregnant mother and the child, carrying on till the adolescent stage and further. Also, it is part of the comprehensive strategy being implemented through various Ministries and Departments.”

Nadda listed the initiatives of his ministry for population control including Mission Parivar Vikas in 146 High Priority Districts (HPDs) in the 7 high focus states. The Mission deals with family planning as a social issue rather than just health issue.

Nadda said that population stabilization efforts have an economic argument attached to it, as the demographic dividend of the country can be harnessed only when the population is healthy.

Lifecycle Framework ensures that the health and wellbeing of the mother and child

The Lifecycle Framework ensures that the health and wellbeing of the mother and child, carrying in the adolescent stage and further is taken care of. Nadda said that in Mission Parivar Vikas program, the focus is on creating awareness about the expanding choices of family planning and on ensuring that the services are easily accessible by the people, he stated.