Focus 1993 April -June English :: PFI Publication :: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CENTRE PORTAL, POPULATION FOUNDATION OF INDIA

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Focus 1993 April -June English

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Votume VII. No.2.

April- June, 1993

B U L LET I N 0 F F A M IL Y P LAN N I N G F a U N-- D A T ION

Sanrachna Project - the Second FPF Sponsored Innovative Project in

Uttar Pradesh to Integrate Health with Socio-economic Development

Motivationforfamily limitation

succeeded better if it was

woven into a larger design

for development action, aimed at

securing community health and

ensuring all-round development

through active involvement of the

community itself. To practically

demonstrate the efficacy of this multi-

dimensional approach to reproductive

health activities, the Family Planning

Foundation had decided to ,...-

sponsora few integrated health

and development projects in

offers real challenge to tryout new

approaches and strategies. A beginning

has been made with Sarsaul Blockwhere

45 per cent of the population is below

poverty line. It is situated south of

Kanpur city which occupies a pride of

place among industrial cities of India.

Sarsaul Block consists of 101

villages covering a population of about

1,15,000 in almost 20,000 households.

In its first phase spanning a period of

"m ~I r ; ~

Total Population

1,15,088

- Male population

61,362

- Female population

53,725

Urban population

14.16%

Female literacy rate

20.5%

Population Density

148/sq km

Sex Ratio

865

Couples per

117

1000 population

Mean age at

14.4 years

marriage (female)

Poor Health

Infrastructure

:~:~ i~~~~U~~::. ;~~~;~~

these unique projects - Nav

Chetna - launched in Lalitpur

district of Uttar Pradesh

('FOCUS' Jan-March 1992) on

1st November, 1991 is making

good progress. Almost a year

after a similar integrated health

and develop-ment project _

Sanrachna - was put on the

ground in Kanpu.r Dehat,

another backward district of

U.P. We present here a profile

of this project inaugurated at

Sarsaul Block office on

November 18,1992byShri RBBhaskar,

IAS,Secretary,Development of Women

and Children Welfare, Government of

U.P. Shri Gaur Hari Singhania of the

J.K. Group of Industries, Kanpur has

promised all support to the project.

Demographic Features

Kanpur Dehat has been chosen as

the location of the project as this district

~(.~~

.' ~. ,

• '\\(1--,~_<

. ~J~\\ ~

'k'-v-\\ ~f

(

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h . '~~\\~/,\\ __,

two years, the project is being

implemented in this Block. During the

last six months of the first phase, the

design would be introduced in the

adjoining blocks of Bidhnu and

Kalyanpur marking its second phase.

The entire project is intended to be

implemented over a period offiveyears.

The main demographic features

of the Sarsaul Blockare as follows:

Though there are three

primary health centres, 30 sub-

centres, five Ayurvedic and

hi di

our omeopat IC Ispen-

saries, medical facilities are

available at the village level

only in 10percent of the villages

but there again not more than

one-fifthoftheniralpopulation

has access to reliable health care

within the villages. The Block

records very high maternal

mortality (3.9/1000 births) and

equally high infant mortality

(126/1000) live hirths,

espeC.laIIY extreme IY high neo-na taI

tetanus

ra tes

d ue

poor

d e1I·very

practices.

Health Objectives

In the back-drop of this health

scenario, the project seeks to achieve a

number of health objectives. These

include full irnmunisation of at least 85

per cent of infants for the six vaccine

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preventable diseases; full immunisation

of at least 85 per cent of the pregnant

women with two doses of tetanus

toxoid; regular growth monitoring of

80 per cent of toddlers and infants to

reduce malnutrition among them;

reduction of diarrhoeal deaths among

toddlers by 50 per cent through ORS

therapy and Vito A administration;

reduction in perinatal and maternal

mortality and morbidity by ensuring

training of 90 per cent traditional birth

attendants (TBAs) in aseptic methods

of delivery and adequate antenatal care

of pregnant women.

Family Planning needs of the

community are to be taken care of by

making FP supplies and services

accessible to all eligible couples while

ensuring that at least 50 per cent of the

eligibles do use them.

Dovetailing of Health

and Development Needs

As a part of the philosophy of

synergistic development, attempts are

to be made to liaise with appropriate

Government and Voluntary agencies

to promote development objectives

such as raising levels offemale literacy,

organising community to take care of

its health and development needs,

encouraging diversification of

agriculture to increase incomes and

support better nutrition and in general

promote enlarged female work

participation and reduce child labour.

As a matter of strategic choice,

project activities are to concentrate

attention on segments of the population

at risk, so that the poorest and the most

vulnerable become the recipients of

maximum benefit whether it be

dissemination ofknowledge or services.

Implementing Agency

The task of implementing the

project has been entrusted to St.

Catherine's Hospital, Kanpur, which

has special expertise in managing a

balanced programme of primary health

care with emphasis on the needs of

women and children. It has a built-in

capability to train selected workers from

the project villages in relevant

community health programmes.

Medical superintendent ofthe Hospital,

Dr J M Das is heading an enthusiastic

team as Project Director to achieve the

targets spelt out in the detailed project

report.

Project Structure

The other members of the project

team include a Project Manager, a Field

Trainer, Development Action Coordi-

nators, two Auxiliary-Nurse Midwives

(ANMs), a General Assistant and an

Audio-visual Assistant.

The village functionaries include

one villagelevelworker (VLW)forevery

village or for a popula tion of 1000,who

is trained to serve as a health worker,

mahila mandaI organiser or teacher.

AllTraditional BirthAttendants (TBAs)

operating in the area are to be trained.

Full advantage is being taken of

the existing community organisations

such as panchayats, Mahila mandals,

youth forums, Farmers' Clubs, Artisans'

and other cooperatives, etc. where they

are functional to fu~ther the objectives

of the project. Where there is no such

organisation, a Project Management

Committee is tobesetup to oversee the

project operations.

Role of Family Planning

Foundation

While providing technical,

monitoring and financial support, the

Family Planning Foundation is to play

an important catalytic role to bring

together specialised development

agencies of the government and non-

government organisations (NGOs) for

a well-coordinated mutually supportive

effort for optim urn results in the project

area.

The project which has an in-built

monitoring system generates reports

for the various levels of managemen tat

St. Catherine's Hospital and FPF. The

project monitoring cell keeps an overall

watch and would suggest mid-course

corrections as and when necessary. At

the end of two years, the project would

be subjected to an independent external

evaluation to assess its impact.

To meet the recurring and non-

recurring expenditure of the project in

its first phase of two years covering the

Sarsaul Block, the Family Planning

Foundation is making available Rs.20

lakhs. ThecontributionofSt. Catherine's

Hospital includes cost ofdrugs, hospital

supplies, diagnostics, institutional care

of referred cases, operation of village

health posts in addition to making

available their existing infrastructure.

Progress So Far

Sufficientheadway has been made

during the period Nov. 1992 to April

30,1993insofar as initialwork pertaining

to the recruitment and training of

community health volunteers (CHVs)

and social mobilisation are concerned.

Some highlights:

- Core groups which act as change-

agent have been formed in 15

villages. TheparticipationbyvilJage

people is very encouraging.

- Baseline survey has been completed

in 205 houses/hamlets.

- Out of 170 CHVs initially selected

for training, 147 (88 males and 59

females) have been finally retained.

- 24000 number plates have been

prepared; of these 5812have already

been fixed to indicate the houses

which have been surveyed.

- Full-fledged cooperation ofthe Block

level governmental agencies has

been enlisted. The Medical Officer

of the PHC had provided vaccines

and other medicines for the use of

CHVs.

- Despite lack of transportation

facilities, immunisation and

vaccination work was carried out in

five villages. 200 persons were

treated for various diseases during

the clinics at the village level, and

ORS demonstrations were given in

6 villages.

- A branch office of the Hospital has

been opened in the Sarsaul Block.

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Karunakaran Committee Recommends Steps to stem the Population Tide

The population Committee

headed by the Kerala Chief

Minister, KKarunakaran, which

was setup by the National Development

Council (NDC) more thana year ago to

"review the Family Welfare Programme

provide the basic minimal

infrastructure for delivery offamily

welfare services. Alongside, health

posts with corresponding functions

should be established in urban

slums and shanty towns.

implementation to meet area specific

requirements.

While States like Kerala, Tamil

Nadu and Goa which haW/achieved

demographic goals recommended in

National Health Policy should further

and suggest ways to achieve people's 0 The sub-centres, primary health improve the quality of service, States

participation, remove infrastructural

centres (PHC) and community like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra

bottlenecks and recommend changes

intheprogramme'ssystemoffinancing,

among others, to pave way for the

formulation of a national population

policy," observed that the country's

more that four-decade-old national

health centres should be fully

operationalised by providing

physical facilities including

buildings and residential quarters,

filling-up of all vacant posts and

ensuring supply of essential drugs,

Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, which

have fairly well developed health care

infrastructure but have yet to achieve

the desired demographic goals, should

review their programmes to achieve

the targets.

family welfare programme has "not

dressings and other consumables.

yielded the desired results" in

To improve the availability of drugs

controlling

population ,...-------------------------,

growth, and that its outreach

Rope in Religious Leaders

In the remaining States with poor

family welfare performance, which in-

c1udeUttarPradesh,Madhya

Pradesh,BiharandRajasthan,

and quality are poor.

In its 1l0-pagereport, the

Whilepointingout that inother countries religious leaders

have played a key role in family planning programmes,

a multi-pronged approach of

acceleratingthepaceofsocio-

high-powered eight-member

Karunakaran Committee un-

equivocally underlines the

need for a review of the popu-

the Karunakaran committee has recommended that in

India, too, religious leaders of all denominations should

be approached for support to the Government's

population policy.

economic development, re-

moving or minimising the

gender gap in literacy and

health care and strengthen-

lation control policies, pro-

grammes and strategies and

In addition to workshops to convince religious leaders of

the need for spreading the population control message,

ing the quality and outreach

of family welfare services

evolving newer strategies to

stem the seemingly intermi-

the Committee has suggested that study tours withinthe

countryandoutsideshouldbearrangedforthem. Special

through an efficient delivery

system is called for.

nable tide of population in the

country which is expected to

reach one billion by the end of

literature incorporating religious teachings should also

be developed and distributed among the people.

Callingfordecentralised

planning for population con-

trol, the committee says dis-

the century. It says the present popula-

tion of India would double by the year

2035 A.D., by which time India will be

the most populous country in the world.

India's population, which was

recorded as 844.3 million by the 1991

census (846.3 million according to the

final report on census),has grown at an

and other supplies, the drug budget

should be enhanced from the

present Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 per

year.

0 Medical termination of pregnancy

(MTP)/sterilisationfacilitiesshould

becreatedateachofthePHC/CHC

and sub-divisional hospitals.

trict level micro-planning should be

adopted so that the programmes con-

tent and approaches could be related to

area-specific social and health indica-

tors, especially in the first instance in

identified 90 districts where the crude

birth rate (CBR) was more than 39 as

per the 1981 census.

annual average of over two per cent

during the last four decades entailing

serious implications for the socio-

economic development and preser-

vation of environment.

The committee has recommended

a number of steps, including quite a few

incentives and disincentives, to

operationalise the objectives of family.

welfare, programme in an efficacious

and effective way. Some of these are:

o The backlog of establishment of sub-

centres, particularly in the tribal

and difficult areas, should be

removed as early as possible to

Similarly all the district/sub-

divisional hospitals should have

post-partum units.

0 The outreach of the services should

be further improved by involving

NGO institutions, private medical

practitioners, strengthening social

marketing and initiating comm-

unity based distribution of

contraceptives.

Area specific Approaches

The committee has also called for

adopting differential approaches in

family welfare programmes and

Incentive sand Disincentives

o Calling for a host of disincentives

and incentives to both Central and

State government employees, the

committee recommends leave

travel concession (LTA) facility

might be restricted to two children

only.

o The Central Government Health

Services (CGHS) facility should

now be restricted to the first two

children only.

o The reimbursement of medical

expenses, where CGHS and

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departmental dispensary facility

was not available, 'could be

restricted to two children.

o The special increment now

admissible for undergoing

sterilisation after having more than

two or three children might be made

admissible after not more than two

children.

o Low-interest bearing advances such

as car advance, scooter advance

cycle advance might be sanctioned

to government servants with two

or less children on priority over

other with more than two children.

o Priority in allotment of government

accommodation, admissions to

central schools could be given to

couples who have adopted the two

child norm.

Disqualifying Peoples'

Representatives

Pointing out that amendment to

Panchayat Raj act brought by the

Rajasthan government has was needed

to be emulated, the committee says the

Central and state government should

consider bringing similar legislation for

disqualifying

the

peoples

representatives at different levels if they

violate small family norm after getting

elected.

While conceding that the final

outcome of the success of the

populations policy would depend on a

constellation of social determinates, the

committee has favoured a national

policy on population by taking a long-

term holistic view of development,

population growth and planet

protection.

Ten Factors that made Thailand's

Family Planning Programme a Resounding Success

By all accounts among Asian

countries, Thailand's family

, Planning Programme has been a

thumping success. In a short span of

two decades Thailand halved its annual

population growth rate: from 3.1 per

cent in 1972 to 1.5 per cent in 1992. A

remarkable achievement indeed which

would prompt any well-wisher of the

Indian family welfare programme to

probe the factors working for this

striking success. Prof Ranjit Roy

Chaudhury, Emeritus Scientist at the

National lnstitute of Immunology, New

Delhi and member of the Governing

Board of FPF -who has first-hand

knowledge of the Thai Programme

advances 10 reasons for its success.

First, total political commitment

to family planning at the highest level.

The programme is implemented as a

joint endeavour of the prime minister's

office, the ministry of home affairs and

the minis try of public heal th wi th fullest

involvement of other departments and

state governors.

Second, a strong desire among the

Thai people to improve their standard

of living with almost universal percep-

tion that more children meant less re-

sources, less comforts and privileges.

Third, government and non-

government organisations making

available contraceptives anywhere

and everywhere with uninhibited discu-

ssions about their use and efficacy.

Fourth, availability ofa wide range

of contraceptives from which people

could make a choice according to their

preference and circumstances.

Fifth, universal education for boys

and girls made it easier for people to

appreciate the benefits of a small family

and adopt a method of one's choice.

Sixth, a strong cultural tradition

of allowing Thai women to make their

own decisions even in the matter of

birth control and choice of method, has

been greatly instrumental in boosting

the programme.

Seventh, absence of dogma in the

conduct of their day-to-day life and the

support of the Buddhist clergy made it

easy for Thais to accept family planning

once they felt it would be good for

them.

Eighth, almost saturation cover-

age of urban as well as rural popula tion

insofar as dissemination of information

about family planning is concerned.

Ninth, healthy Thai attitude to sex

which allows free and uninhibited

discussion of the subject, was of great

help in acceptance of family planning.

Tenth, a uniquely close association

between scientific research on family

planning and its application in the field

without much loss of time.

According to Prof Chaudhury

these ten factors jelled together to

become responsible for a model

national family planning programme

in Thailand. We, in India, can learn

quite a few lessons from it.

Cairo to host the International Conference on

Population & Development

Cairo, Egypt will host the third United Nations' International Conference

onPopuIationandDeveIopment(ICPD),tobeheldfromSeptemberS-13, 1994.

The integral linkage between population, sustained economic growth and

sustainable development will be the overall theme of the conference.

Every 10 years the United Nations convenes a major conference for the

purpose of taking stock of world population issues and problems. Two

previous international population conferences have been held, the first in

Bucharest in 1974and the second in Mexico City in 1984.

The 1994conference is expected to adopt recommendations for the next

decade to respond to major population and development issues.

The ICPD will also focus on the role of women, effects of migration, the

importance of family planning, the need for 'increased resources, and the

devastation caused by AIDS.

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Vice-President gives away Awards for Promoting Family Welfare

The Vice-President, Mr K R

Narayanan, called for harnessing

all means - scientific, technical,

social and economic to control the

staggering growth rate of population

and to make family planning services

and facilities available and acceptable

to the masses, while speaking at an

Awards ceremony for the promotion of

family welfare, organised by the Union

Health and Family Welfare Ministry at

New Delhi on March 26,1993.

Mr Narayanan said the population

problem was progressively becoming

uncontrollable and complicating every

other problem faced by us. He stressed

the importance of education and cited

the example of Kerala which had proved

beyond doubt the profound impact of

education on family welfare

programmes. He wanted media to

devote much more attention to this

The Vice-President Shri K R Narayanan giving a prize to one of the awardees. On his right are: Shri B

Shankaranand, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri P A Sangma, Union Minister of State

for Labour and Shri P S Ghatowar, Union Deputy Minister for Health and Family Welfare.

vital problem.

Speaking on the occasion, the inter-sectoral coordination at national,

Union Health and Family Welfare . state and district level," he added.

Minister, Mr B Shankaranand, called

Of the 14 entries selected for the

for a national consensus in support of awards for 1992,eight were bagged by

familywelfare programmes with willing the electronic media, three by the

participation of all sections of society. organised sector and three by voluntary

"Provision of contraceptives and other organisations. The awards have been

services alone would not suffice. It was instituted by the Department of Family

necessary to improve information, Welfare to give an impetus to and bring

education, interpersonal commu- forward the best promotive work in

nication involving voluntary and non- population control.

governmental organisations in a big

In the organised sector, the first

Jamshedpur for outstanding work in

providing maternal and child health,

immunisation and family welfare

services in their area. The Steel

Authority of India and the Northern

Coal Fields Limited, Singrauli won the

second and third prize, respectively.

Among

the

voluntary

organisat ions Tribhuwan Das

Foundation, Anand, Gujarat, got the

first prize while the Maharashtra

Arogya MandaI, Pune and [yoti Sangh,

way to promote active community prize of Rs.1.5 lakh went to Tata Iron Ahmedabad carried the second and

participation and evolve a high-level and Steel Company (TISCO), third prize, respectively:

Adolescence Eduction: Experts Advocate Cautions Approach

Educationists and health care and

family welfare experts have

counselled a 'cautious approach'

in incorporating 'adolescence educa-

tion' (sexed ucation) into the educational

curriculum.

While they have strongly

advocated its introduction into the

school curriculum they would like it

done in a phased manner in view of the

sensitivity of the subject and the

prevalent traditional values of Indian

society.

They have also advised that instead

of relying on the formal school syllabi

and text books, other suitable media

like the electronic media should be

explored to transmit the necessary

messages to the target groups.

These views emerged at the two-

day (April 12-13,1993)national seminar

on "adolescence education" organised

by the National Council of Education

Research and Training (NCERT).

Instead of promoting adolescence

education as a separate area of study, it

would be advisable to make it one of the

major themes of population education

programmes, the experts opined.

To begin with, they advised, the

four modules on adolescence ed ucation

entitled physical aspect, social aspect,

sex roles and sexually transmitted

diseases brought out by UNESCO

should be accepted as referred contents

with special focus on physical and

emotional changes occurring during

adolescence, reproduction process, sex

related hygience, myths and

misconceptions, adverse impact of

teenage pregnancies, respect for

opposite sex, stereotyped sex roles and

6 Page 6

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the need for desirable change, HIV

infection and AIDS, drug abuse and

related issues.

The seminar called for expeditious

and urgent steps for launching

"awareness building programme"

among parents, opinion makers,

educationists and the community to

create "favourable ambience" for

introduction of adolescence education

into school curriculum.

The participants suggested that

besides conducting surveys to assess

the needs and requirements of

adolescents, the State boards of school

education, the text book bureau, State

institutions of education and State

councils of educational research and

training and other concerned agencies

should be encouraged to take lead in

promoting the introduction of

adolescence education.

The seminar urged the NCERT to

develop differenl prototypematerials

for specific target groups and further

adoption and adaptation of these

materials in States and Union

Territories.

Taking into account the crucial role

of teachers, the participants suggested

that adolescence education should be

introduced in the pre-service teacher

training courses and arrangement

should also be made for in-service

teacher training programmes.

Inaugurating the seminar,

University Grants Commission

Chairman Prof G Ram Reddy, said the

incorporation ofadolescence ed ucation

in the higher standards of school

education "brooks no delay." Stressing

the need to evolve a carefully researched

strategy, he advised the curriculum

planners to strike a balance and address

the issue sensitively.

Identifying the objectives of

adolescence education, the Director of

NCERT, Dr KGopalan, said it hoped to

provide authentic information and

understanding regarding the process

of growing up of students and prepare

them for the normal and healthy sexual

l;fe.

In his paper, Mr 0 J Sikes, UN

Population Fund's education expert,

said teachers had a major responsibility

in preparing children to think, to be

future-oriented with a positive outlook

an to relate to others in a caring and

responsible manner.

W'O R L 0 E N V I RON MEN T '0 A V>' '

Everyyear June 5 is celebrated as WorldEnvironment

Day, providing us an opportunity to focus attention on

various issues related to environment and growth of

population.

In view of ever-increasing pressure of population on

natural resources, the urgent need before us is to create

a long-standing awareness among the masses for

protecting the environment through various activities such

as planting trees, recycling of waste, proper disposing of

garbage and making efforts for sustainable land use,

Will India's Population Outstrip Cereal Production?

Agriculturalexpertsare predictinga seriousfood shortagein India in the

nextfive tenyears if the countrydoes not adopt newstrategiesto keepits

cerealproductionin pacewith the spirallingpopulationgrowth.

The country'scurrentlevel of food productionis just about balancingthe

rising population,but if it does not keep pacewith the latter in the coming

years,therecan be a seriousfood shortage,warnedProfessorS K Sinha,

Directorof the IndianAgricultureResearchInstitute,New Delhi.

Prof Sinha was summing up experts' discussions at a seminar on

"Population, agricultural production, and security" organized by the

IndianNationalScienceAcademyin New Delhi recently.

THE AGING WORLD

Europe is the world's "oldest" region in

an aging world and Sweden in the "oldest"

country inthe age of its population, according

to a report by the US Bureau of Census.

The report showed that 13.7 per cent of

Europe's population is elderly (over 65)

compared with 12.6 per cent in North

America. In the developing regions the

percentage fell off drastically: 4.8 per cent in

Asia, 4.6 per cent in Latin America, 3.8 per

cent in the 'Near East and North Africa and

2.7 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sweden's over-65 population was 17.9

per cent of its total, followed by Norway with

16.3 per cent. Other European countries

were between 13 and 16 per cent. In Japan

the over-65 population was 12.8 per cent

and in the United States, 12.6 per cent.

In absolute numbers, the current

population of 'elderly' persons- those in the

age group of 60 years and above - in India

is 34.3 million and by the year 2000, it is

expected to rise to 48.1 million.

IIFamily Planning and the Legacy of Islam"

The UN population Fund (UNFPA) has

sponsored a book "Family Planning and

the Legacy of Islam" by Abdel Rahim

Omran, a leading specialist on population,

health, and Islamic studies.

The objective of the study, published

with the support of the New York-based

UNFPA and launched in London, is to

"dispel misconception and misunder-

standings of the subject not only among

non-Muslims, but also among Muslims,"

according to the foreword.

The 284-page book reviews 14

centuries of tradition, examines theological

writings on family planning, and analyses

Islamic attitudes on family planning

today.

AccordingtoOmran, "Almost aDsource

books of Islamic jurisprudence spanning

14 centuries have encompassed

vivid discussions on AI-AzI or coitus

interruptus.

Ha argues that "by analogous

reasoning, alternative methods of

contraception can be allowed as long as

the purpose is to prevent pregnancy."

"Hence, temporary methods like

contraceptive pills, or the coil (IUD), or

other methods are permitted as long as

there is no permanent impairment to

fertility," Omran says.

According to the UNFPA, Muslims

constitute one-fifth of the world's population.

"I do hope that this book will contribute

to better understanding of family values in

Islam and will lead to improvement of life of

families throughout the Muslim world," Dr

Nafis Sadik, executive director of UNFPA,

says in the books foreword.

The book finds much of its authority in

the sanctioning of family planning methods

by Sheikh Jadel Haq Ali Jadel Haq, who is

the grand Imam of AI-Azhar University in

Cairo, Egypt, the oldest institute of Islamic

learning:

7 Page 7

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Zero Growth Rate a Distant Goal

Despite rigorous implementation

of the family planning

programme for the past four

Despite falling short of the goal,

the department has however succeeded

inbringingdownthepopulationgrowth

respectively per thousand were doing

very well.

Ontheotherhand,thecrudebirth

decades, zero growth rate of population ratefrom2.22 percent in 1971-81to2.14 rates in Assam (30.9), Bihar (30.5),

still remains a distant goal.

per cent in 1981-91 which, the report Haryana(33.1),MadhyaPradesh(35.8),

Theannualreport (1992-93)of the noted, is the first period since 1921-31 Rajasthan (34.3), and Uttar Pradesh

Department of Family Welfare says "the that there was a decline in the rate of (35.1)are higher than the national aver-

zero growth rate of population population growth.

age of 29.3 per thousand population in

(stabilisation of r-------------------------------,

population) may

be achieved only 50 CRUDE BIRTH & COUPLE PROTECTION RATE

1991.

Similar varia-

tions are seen in re-

after several dec-

spect of Infant Mor-

ades even after at-

tality rates. At one

taining a Net Re-

end of the spectrum,

production Rate of

unity (NRR-l).

.!L ~ 40 ·37.2

••... ~

34.9

Kerala has an IMR o(

only 17perthousand

NRR-1 corre-

sponds to a birth

--- --3- 2.2 31 5 30.6 302

32.6

---

live births whereas,

it is as high as 122 in

rate of21 per thou-

Madhya Pradesh,

sand, death rate of

CBR (PER 1000 population)

126 in Orissa and 93

nine per thousand

in Uttar Pradesh.

and natural popu-

It notes that the

lation growth rate

total fertility rates in

of 1.2 per cent.

The National

Health Policy of

1983 had stipu-

lated thatNRR-1 be

- CP;

CBR.

SOURCE :CBR -* 1971-81 (census); 1982 TO 1991 SRSestimats, CPR- Depl ofFW

Bihar (5.1), Haryana

(4.4),

Madhya

Pradesh (4.7), and

Uttar Pradesh (5.2)

are significantly

achieved by 2000.

0 L--1-9-S1-1-9S-2-19-83-1-9-84-1-9S-S-19-S-S -1-9-S7-1-9S-S-19-S-9 -1-'9:-90-1-99-1 higher than the all In-

But the report says

dia average of3.9 and

theNRR-1canonly '-------------------------------~

observes that the

be achieved by 2011-2016and it would

During 1981-91, there states - poor performing states would have to

take many more decades to achieve Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and make special efforts to bring about im-

zero growth rate of population.

Rajasthan recorded growth rates higher provement in their performance.

The department, under the Eighth than 2.3 p~r cent, while seven states -

According to the report, since the

Plan, has targets to achieve a birth rate Gujarat, HimachalPradesh,Karnataka, inception of the Family Planning

of 26 per thousand, infant mortality Kerala, Orissa, Punjab and Tamil Nadu Programme, about142.98 million births

rate of 70 per thousand and couple - recorded a growth rate of less than are estimated to have been averted upto

protection rate 56 per cent.

two per cent. Rajasthan had the highest March 31, 1992.The annual number of

The report says deep-rooted growth rate of 2.5 per cent and Kerala, birth averted has gone up from 4.9

customs, traditions and socio-cultural the lowest of 1.34 per cent.

million in 1980-81to 8.1 million in 1985-

beliefs in favour of a large family

The report says that states like 86, 12.4 million in 1990-91 and 12.7

continue to be the greatest impediments Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu with a million in 1991-92.

in achieving the goals.

crude birth rate of 16.8, 18.1 and 20.7

R 0 Birla Award for Dr Coyaj/

The coveted Rameshwardas Birlanationalaward,for outstandingresearch in medicaland related fieldswas presented by

MaharashtraGovernorDrP C Alexanderto 76-year-oldDr(Mrs)BanooCoyajiof Pune at a largelyattended functionat Bombay

on March27, 1993.

The annual award, 13thinthe series, was awardedto DrCoyaji-incidentally the onlylaC:yto receivethis nationalaward-

forher invaluableworkcoveringfamilyplanning,maternaland childhealthcare. The awardcomprises As. 1.5lakhs, a citationand

a memento.

Our congratulationsto Dr Coyajiwho is a member ofthe governingboard of the FamilyPlanningFoundation.

8 Page 8

▲back to top

FPF Governing Board Constitutes Advisory Group

to Prepare Action Plan

The Goveming Board of the Family

Planning Foundation in its

meeting held on March 3D, 1993

under the Chairmanship of Mr J R 0

Tata constituted an Advisory Group

consisting of Dr Bhara t Ram, Dr Banoo

J Coyaji, Dr V A Pai Panandiker, Mr B

G Verghese and Mr Harish Khanna, for

preparing an Action Plan for the four

Northern States - UP., M.P., Bihar and

Rajasthan - and one or two other

problem states like Orissa.

Earlier in 1991, an ad hoc policy

Advisory Group was set up to review

the role of the Foundation in the past in

relation to its principal objectives, and

recommend policy perspectives for the

nineties to enable it to playa significant

role in the diverse tasks ahead. This

group comprised the late Dr Dipak

Bhatia, Dr Banoo J Coyaji, Dr V A Pai

Panandiker, Dr K Srinivasan, Dr T C

Anand Kumar, Dr J K Satia and Mr

Harish Khanna.

A 'Policy paper on Future

Directions of the Foundation' prepared

by Mr HarishKhanna on the basis of the

consensus arrived at during discussions

at various meetings of the policy

advisory group was discussed in all its

ramifications in the meeting.

Observing that the ideas

underlined in the policy paper were

pertinent and should be taken as the

starting point for the formulation of a

programme, Mr Tata said that with

more and more people talking of

population

pressures

and

environmental damage, it seemed to be

the most propitious time to mount a

really significant programme based on

the recommendations made by the

policy group.

Advising prompt fellow-up action

on the recommendations of the policy

group, Dr BharatRam, Vice-Chairman,

said that it was not merely family

planning that was important for

Basic Proposals of Policy Advisory Group

Thntst Areas

The Group recognised that given its unique nature and distinctive

strengths, the Foundation can play an important role in the population

scene of India. For this it needs broadening its perspectives with well-

defined areas of thrust as well as instrumentalities.

The following thrust areas were identified for the decade of the

nineties:

(a) Social Mobilisation: It should develop practical approaches to mobilise

the youth, especially women, as well as local organisations active in the

population field.

(b) Social Development: It should playa catalytic role in accelerating pace

of social development, particularly, in 46 districts which have been

identified as seriously lagging behind.

innovations for more efficient quality of family planning services to

people, particularly the poor.

(d) Contraceptive Technologies: It should build upon its earlier work in

bio-medical research area, and concentrate on facilitating introd uction

of appropriate contraceptive technologies which are safe, effective and

harmonious with the interest of the users.

(e) Private/Voluntary Efforts : It should network with selected

organisations so as to catalyse such efforts and serve as a vehicle for

implementation of innovative ideas developed through research