0
0
New Delhi, India – In a significant achievement reflecting the country’s sustained efforts in family planning and population control, India has reached a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0, as reported by the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21). This milestone aligns with the objectives of the National Population Policy 2000 and the National Health Policy 2017, which targeted a replacement-level TFR of 2.1.
The government attributed this success to robust initiatives aimed at raising awareness about healthy pregnancy timing and spacing, expanding access to family planning services, and tailoring state-level programs based on specific regional needs. Funding for these initiatives is allocated through the Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) mechanism.
Comprehensive Monitoring of Family Planning Programs
The National Family Planning Programme is subject to continuous evaluation through Common Review Mission (CRM) assessments, National Programme Coordination Committee (NPCC) meetings, regional and national reviews, field monitoring visits, and periodic surveys like the NFHS.
Key Government Initiatives
The government has undertaken several targeted measures to ensure the accessibility and efficiency of family planning services across the country:
- Expanded Contraceptive Choices
Beneficiaries are provided with a range of contraceptive options, including condoms, oral contraceptive pills, emergency contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUCDs), and sterilization. Recent additions to this “contraceptive basket” include injectable contraceptives (Antara Programme) and Centchroman pills (Chhaya). - Mission Parivar Vikas
Focused on seven high-priority states and six North-Eastern states, this initiative enhances access to contraceptives and family planning services in regions with high fertility rates. - Compensation Scheme for Sterilization Acceptors
Monetary compensation is provided to beneficiaries to offset wage losses incurred during sterilization procedures. - Post-Pregnancy Contraception
Services such as Post-Partum Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PPIUCD), Post-Abortion Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PAIUCD), and Post-Partum Sterilization (PPS) ensure continuity in family planning immediately after childbirth or abortion. - Awareness Campaigns
Annual observances like ‘World Population Day Campaign’ and ‘Vasectomy Fortnight’ are organized to raise awareness and deliver services across states and union territories. - Home Delivery of Contraceptives
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) play a key role in delivering contraceptives to rural households under the Home Delivery of Contraceptives Scheme. - Family Planning Logistics Management Information System (FP-LMIS)
This system ensures effective management and timely distribution of family planning commodities across healthcare facilities.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, highlighted these measures during a written response in the Lok Sabha, underscoring the government’s commitment to maintaining this momentum and further enhancing family planning services.
Road Ahead
As India consolidates its progress, the focus now shifts to sustaining replacement-level fertility across regions, particularly in states that still exhibit higher TFRs. Continued efforts to strengthen service delivery, awareness campaigns, and innovative approaches will be critical to achieving long-term demographic stability.
With these concerted efforts, India stands as an example of how targeted policies and community-driven programs can achieve significant milestones in population control and reproductive health.
