Review of Population Control Programme

India’s population will be more than that of China by the year 2028. 

Due to the population momentum and impeded fertility, India’s population will continue to grow. However census 2011 shows that the percentage decadal growth rate has declined significantly during 2001-2011. 

The approach to population stabilization under NRHM is through providing Family Planning Services while ensuring full reproductive choices to women. 

The government has initiated the following interventions to address the population stabilization are: 

i. Launching of two new schemes to utilize the services of ASHA: A scheme for making contraceptives available at the doorstep through ASHAs in all the districts across country. Another scheme involving ASHAs as catalysts for delaying age at first childbirth and spacing between births is made operational in 18 states. The ASHA is being incentivized for the same. 

ii. Promoting post-partum family planning services and availability of fixed day static services at public health facilities. 

iii. Placement of dedicated family planning counselors at high case load facilities

iv. Expanding basket of choice by introduction of a new device namely Cu IUCD 375 and a new method namely Postpartum IUCD

v. Santushti Scheme: The Santushti strategy provides private sector gynecologists and vasectomy surgeons an opportunity to conduct sterilization operations in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. 

vi. Prerna Scheme: It identifies and recognizes young married couples from backward districts who have adopted Responsible Parenthood Criteria as role models for other young couples in the district. 

vii. Accreditation of private/NGO facilities to increase the provider base for family planning services

viii. Promoting acceptance of No Scalpel Vasectomy to ensure male participation 

ix. Compensation Package for Sterilization acceptors for providing compensation for loss of wages to the beneficiary and also to the service provider for conducting sterilizations x. National Family Planning Indemnity Scheme’ (NFPIS) under which clients are insured in the eventualities of deaths, complications and failures following sterilization and the providers/ accredited institutions are indemnified against litigations in those eventualities. 

As a result of the effort of the government, the growth rate of the country has come down significantly.