Measures govt taking to control population growth in India
Till 2023, India crossed China's population with 1.428 billion people. It is estimated that India's population is likely to grow in the coming decades and may reach 1.7 billion by the 2060s.
Thanks to massive efforts taken by the government of India, the country has achieved great strides in controlling the population in the last several decades. As per the NFHS-5 (2019–21), India has managed to achieve a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0. However, much more was needed to be done and the government has given top priority to the National Family Planning Program to control the population growth in India.
Till 2023, India crossed China's population with 1.428 billion people. It is estimated that India's population is likely to grow in the coming decades and may reach 1.7 billion by the 2060s.
Let's discuss various steps taken by the Indian govt to control population growth in India.
1. Multiple contraceptive options: The government banks on different contraceptive choices: birth control pills, intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD), condoms and sterilization to control population growth. Some of these measures have been expanded to include Injectable contraceptive MPA (Antara Programme) and Centchroman (Chhaya-Weekly contraceptive pill).As per a report in The Hindu, over 35 million oral emergency contraceptive pills are sold every year with an annual compounded growth of 12 per cent.
2. Incentive for sterlisation: Another step to control population growth is the incentive for sterlisation adopters. In this scheme, the government provides compensation for loss of pay and complications after sterlisation. This scheme is also applied in case of death and other surgery related issues. In 2007, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had announced an increase in compensation package from Rs 800 to Rs 1500 for vasectomy in public facilities.
3.Mission Parivar Vikas: This programme is underway in 13 states. The purpose of this programme is to substantially increase contraceptives and family planning services. Under this scheme, the government has introduced two contraceptives, MPA and Chhaya. MPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate) is a hormonal contraceptive injection given every 3 months, while Chhaya (pill) is a non-hormonal contraceptive pill taken once a week.
4. Post-pregnancy contraception: The family planning measures also include initiatives like
Post-partum Intra-uterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD), Post-Abortion Intrauterine contraceptive device (PAIUCD), and Post-partum Sterilization (PPS).
5. Awareness programmes: For decades, the government of India launched awareness campaigns through TV, newspaper, radio, open advertisements for family planning and birth control. For this purpose, dozens of schemes were launched at birth control by free distribution of contraceptives as well as counselling of couples.
6.Vasectomy Fortnight: This is an annual event initiated by the government especially every November to raise awareness about male sterilisation and promote male participation in family planning. During these programmes, sterilisation services are provided to people at public health facilities free of charge.
7.Home Delivery of contraceptives: To make the family planning program more effective, the government also delivers contraceptives at the doorstep of beneficiaries through Asha workers. The programme to deliver contraceptives was started by then Manmohan Singh govt in 2011 on a pilot basis. During that time, 233 districts in 17 States were served wherein contraceptives like condoms, oral pills and emergency contraceptive pills were delivered at home by Asha workers.