Focus 2000 January - March Englsih

Focus 2000 January - March Englsih



1 Pages 1-10

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Focus Volume XIV NO.1
January-March 2000
POPULATION ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT
Millennium Conference Focuses on Population Issues
PopuLation
organised
Conference
Foundation of India
a MiLLennium
on 'PopuLation,
DeveLopment and Environment
Nexus' in collaboration with Indian
Association
for the Study of
PopuLation (IASP) and United
Nations PopuLation Fund (UNFPA)
from February 14 to 16, 20'00 at
Lakshmipat Singhania Auditorium,
PHD House, New DeLhi.
The main objectives
of the
Conference were to study the:
• Demographic
Trends and
Prospects in the 21st Century;
• PopuLation
poLicies
and
programmes:
retrospects and
prospects;
• PopuLation
and Economic
DeveLopment, poLiticaL systems,
gender equity, ageing and sociaL
security;
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr N T Shanmugam seen with (from left), UNFPA
Representative, India, Dr. Michael Vlassoff; Chairman, PFI, Dr Bharat Ram; Treasurer, IASP, Dr S C
Gulati and Executive Director, PFI, Dr K Srinivasan before inaugurating the Millennium Conference.
• PopuLation
and
SociaL (i) to understand
the inter-
DeveLopment
including
reLationship between popuLation
education, heaLth and housing; growth and distribution
in the
• PopuLation and EcoLogy in reLation .. country with various facets of sociaL
to sustainabLe deveLopment; and and economic deveLopment and
• Migration and Urbanisation.
ecoLogicaL changes as they occurred
during the previous century;
Continued on page 8
NSS Volunteers Trained at Bareilly
2
New Population Policy Announced
4
Population Clock on Doordarshan
3
Millennium Conference in Pictures
6.7
Training and Resource Development
3
Dr. Srinivasan is Member of National
10
Centres at Bhopal, Bangalore and Cuttack
Statistical Commission
Dr. Srinivasan Attends UN Meeting
.. 3
Governing Board Sub-group to Study
11
Planning Commission Meeting
3
National Population Policy
Discusses Population Projections
New Joinings and Departures
12

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The National Population Policy 2000 announced
by the Government is well conceived, lucidly
articulated and sets well the direction for the
future course population programmes in the country.
The objectives of the policy in terms of immediate,
medium and long term goals are clearly stated though
these appear to be over ambitious.
The setting up of institutional structures to guide and
monitor the implementation of the policy is an excellent
idea. It should be ensured that the structures do not
become bureaucratic over layers to the existing
bureaucracy offering merely employment opportunities
to retiring or retired civil servants without commitment
to the goals.
The major thrust areas of the policy are in expanding
the coverage and improving the efficiency of
reproductive health services including contraceptive
services; active involvement of the locally elected
bodies mainly the Panchayats in the implementation
of programmes,
and special schemes for
empowerment of women especially in improving their
literacy and educational levels and provision of income
generating activities for them. These are large
programmes needing not only additional financial
commitment but also committed leadership at the
state and the local levels sharing the national objectives
contained in the policy.
There is a need for a change in the mindset of the
leaders to understand the significance of democratic
decentralisation, provision of good quality reproductive
health and contraceptive services and empowerment
of women in the society. Problems could arise between
the states and the centre in the implementation of the
policy. Three states, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh have already prepared their own
state level population policies. Maharashtra and Uttar
Pradesh are in the process of finalising their policies.
Many other states are likely to follow suit. In case the
state policy has elements contradictory to the central
policy, what will happen? Similarly, the extent of
delegation of powers and responsibilities including
allocation of financial resources to the Panchayats
depend on the state governments. Ultimately, family
planning and provision of basic health care is the
responsibility of the Panchayats and Nagar Palikas.
If these locally elected institutions are not adequately
empowered with facilities for training of its members,
adequate funding, population policies at the state and
the central levels may be only pious hopes.
On the whole, the NPP 2000 seems to be a good and
balanced document worth pursuing with vigour and
enthusiasm at the state, central and local levels. The
country will be better off in sincerely implementing
this policy without splitting hairs on the nitty-gritty on
some of the controversial elements. Controversies
on incentives and disincentives should not cloud our
pursuit of overall development goals, which are closely
linked to realisation of population goals. Failure of
many developmental programmes in India in the past
has not been due to lack of well-articulated policies
but due to poor implementation of such policies. NPP
2000 should not be allowed to fail on such grounds.
NSS Volunteers Trained at Bareilly
A three
day training
programme was organised
for NSS Programme Officers
to involve
information
awareness
NSS Volunteers in
dissemination and
generation
about
and Master Volunteers at Bareilly population issues. The project is
from January 15 to January 17, supported by PFI.
2000 by M.J.P. Rohilkhand
University, Bareilly. Programme Three senior executives of PFI, Dr.
Officers from two units of Bareilly Amita Bardhan, Senior Consultant, Dr.
College, Bareilly attended the Sanjay Kumar, Programme Officer and
programme. They included Dr. Janak Dr. Sharmila Ghosh Neogi,
Singh, Dr. Purnima Anil, Dr. C P Programme Officer conducted the
Pandey, Dr. Sadhna Agrawal and various training sessions.
Dr. Hariom Sharma along with five
Master Volunteers.
A field visit for the trainees was
organised on the last day of the
Dr. Priya Singh, Chief Medical programme and a work plan was
Superintendent of Women's Hospital, chalked out to meet the objectives
Bareilly was the chief guest while of the programme. Some of the
Registrar of M.J.P. Rohilkhand objectives included selecting five
University, Dr. K N Pandey was the villages by each core unit, selecting
special guest. Dr. S P Gupta, Vice one Jan Mangal couple from each
Principal, Bareilly College, Bareilly village and 50 volunteers from each
chaired the function. Dr. K C Dubey, unit and providing training to both
Coordinator
of NSS, M.J.P. under the supervision of Programme
Rohilkhand University welcomed the Officers and Master Volunteers. 10
guests and gave out the salient Volunteers from each selected village
features of the project which is meant would survey the villages with the
help of Jan Mangal
couples. Members of 20
chosen houses will be
given
information
regarding population,
family planning and
mother and child care
with the help of ANMs.
Periodic visits will be made
to the vi llages to collect
information and problems
pertaining to the project
A view of the inaugural function of training for NSS
Programme Officers and Master Volunteers held at Bareilly.
would be analysed. :II:

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Training and Resource Development Centres
at Bhopal, Bangalore and Cuttack
The Governing Board at its
meeting held on March 21,
2000 has decided to set-up
three Regional Training and Resource
Development Centres at Bhopal,
Bangalore and Cuttack. The centres
would provide training to the staff
of NGOs to build their capacity in
management and implementation of
RCH programmes.
The members of the Governing Board
made a number of suggestions. It
was decided to select a local leading
institution
with necessary
infrastructure facilities who would be
interested in providing training to
NGOs on RCHissues. The budget for
each centre was also approved.
Meanwhile, National Institute of
Applied Human Research and
Development (NIAHRD), Cuttack has
been identified with which the
Foundation will collaborate to set-
up a centre at Cuttack. The NGO has
been asked to submit a detailed
project proposal. :l€
Dr. Srinivasan Attends UN Meeting
Dr. K Srinivasan, Executive
Director, Population Foundation
of India was deputed by the
Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare to participate in the 33rd
session of the Commission on
Population and Development
organised by the Population Division
of United Nations and held at New
York from March 27 to 31, 2000.
Population, Gender and Development
was presented on the occasion which
was based on the review and
appraisal of the International
Conference on Population and
Development held in 1994.
The recently framed National
Population Policy 2000 was also
presented in the Commission which
was well-received by the participants
from all over the world. :l€
Population Clock on
Doordarshan
O D-I and DD-II have been
airing the population clock
several times during the
day for sometime. The Foundation
has developed the computer
package for population clock to
depict the current population
estimates. The idea is to create
awareness among the people
about the rate at which the
population of the country has been
increasing. Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare has installed five
such population clocks in
important cities of the country.
As a part of its advocacy role, the
Foundation approached the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare and
Doordarshan to show the population
clock on Doordarshan.
The Foundation has also prepared
state specific population clocks for
15 major states of the country.
These clocks would be shown by
the regional Kendras of
Doordarshan in near future. The
clocks have been designed in such
a way that the message is shown
in the local language. :l€
Planning Commission Meeting Discusses Population Projections
Executive Director Dr. K
Srinivasan attended a meeting
organised by the Planning
Commission on March 22, 2000. The
meeting discussed the need to
work out a set of population
projections for the next two
decades based on the assumptions
made in the National Population
Policy and also the size of the
population if the population
stabilises by 2045.
The National Population Policy was
recently approved by the cabinet and
it envisages the replacement level of
fertility being achieved by 2010
(instead of 2026) and population
being stabilised by 2045. :l€

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New Population Policy Announced
The National Population Policy
2000, announced
by the
Government on February 15
states that the objective of
economic and social development is
to improve the quality of lives
people lead, to enhance their well-
being, and to provide them with
opportunities
and choices to
become productive assets in the
society. On May 11, 2000, India will
achieve 1 billion (100 crore).
Stabilising
population
is an
essential requirement for promoting
sustainable development with more
equitable distribution.
14 National Socio-Demographic
Goals have been formulated which
will be achieved by 2010. Some of
the National Socio-Demographic
Goals are:
Address the unmet needs for
basic reproductive and child
health services, supplies and
i nfra-structu reo
Make school education upto age
14 free and compulsory, and
reduce dropouts at primary and
secondary levels.
Reduce infant mortality rate to
below 30 per 1000 live births.
The immediate objective of
the National Population
Policy is to address the
unmet
needs
of
contraception,
health
infrastructure,
health
personnel, and to provide
integrated servi ce delivery
for basic reproductive and
child health care.
The Policy aims to achieve by
2010 universal immunisation of
children against all vaccine
preventable diseases, 80
percent institutional deliveries
and 100 percent del iveries by
trained persons.
The medium term objective is to bring Reduce maternal mortality rate
the total fertility rates to replacement
to below 100 per 100,000 live
level by 2010 through vigorous
births.
implementation
of inter-sectoral
• Achieve universal immunisation
operational strategies.
of children against all vaccine
preventable diseases.
The long term objective is to achieve • Promote delayed marriage for
a stable population by 2045 at a level
girls, not earlier than 18 and
consistent with the requirements of
preferably after 20 years.
sustainable economic growth, social • Achieve 80 percent institutional
development, and environmental
deliveries, and 100 percent
protection.
deliveries by trai ned persons.
Achieve universal access to
information and counselling,
and services for fertility
regulation and contraception
with a wide basket of choices.
Contain the spread of AIDS, and
promote greater integration
between the management of
reproductive tract infections
(RTI); sexually transmitted
infections
(STI)
and
the National AIDS Control
Organisation.
12 Strategic themes have been
identified which would be
simultaneously pursued in
order to achieve the
national
socio-
demographic goals. The
strategic themes include -
Decentralised planning
and
programme
implementation.
Convergence of service
delivery at village
levels.
• Empowering women for
improved health and nutrition.
Child survival and Child Health.
Meeting the unmet needs for
family welfare services.
• Under-served
population
groups, like urban slums, tribal
communities,
hill
area
populations and adolescents etc.
• Diverse health care providers.
Collaboration
with and
commitment from NGOs and the
private sector.

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Specific Operational Strategies have Department of Family Welfare to
Maternity Benefit Scheme to
been worked out in the Action Plan provide focused attention for
award a cash incentive of
for each of the strategic theme.
accelerating performance in states
Rs 500/- to mothers who have
with currently below average socio-
their first child after 19 years of
The following new structures are demographic indicators to be
age, up to the birth of the
proposed to monitor and guide the established.
second child,
planning and implementation of the
Health insurance plan for
National Population Policy.
Several
promotional
and
couples below the poverty line,
motivational measures will be
who undergo sterilisation with
A National Commission on undertaken to promote adoption of
not more than two living
Population, chaired by the Prime the Small Family Norm:
children,
Minister with Chief Ministers of all the • Rewarding Panchayats and zilla
Couples below the poverty line
States/and Union Territories and the
parishads
for exemplary
to be rewarded if they marry
Central Minister in-charge
after the legal age of
of the Department of
marriage, register the
Family Welfare, and other
marriage, have their
concerned
Central
A National Commission on Population,
first child after the
Ministries
and
chaired by the Prime Minister will
mother reaches the age
Departments, as members,
besides
reputed
demographers,
public
health professionals, and
representatives of NGOswill
be constituted to guide
and review implementation
of the Policy.
have the Chief Ministers of all the
States, the Central Minister in-
charge of the Department of
Family Welfare and other concerned
Central Ministries and Departments,
reputed demographers, public
health professionals and NGOs
as members. The Commission will
of 21, accept the small
family norm and adopt
a terminal method
after the birth of the
second child,
• Revolving fund for
income generating
activities by village
level self help groups,
Each state and Union
oversee and review the
and
Territory may also have a
implementation of the Policy.
Creches and child care
Commission on Population,
centres in rural areas
chaired by the Chief
and in urban slums.
Minister, to likewise guide
and review implementation
performance in universalising The 42nd Constitutional Amendment
National Population Policy.
the small family norm, achieving has frozen the number of
reductions in infant mortality representatives in the Lok Sabha
A Coordination Cell within the
and promoting literacy with which is valid until 2001. In
Planning Commission, for inter-
completion of primary schooling, order to enable state governments
sectoral co-ordination between
Cash incentive of Rs 500/- at the to fearlessly pursue the agenda
Ministries to be established.
birth of a girl child of birth order for population stabilisation,
1 or 2 to promote care and this freeze must be extended
survival of the girl child,
until 2026. :If:

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Millennium Conference on POI
Environment Nex
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr N T
Shanmugam inaugurating the Millennium Conference by
lighting a lamp.
Dr. M S Swami nathan, Chairman, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation,
Chennai being honoured by the Executive Director Dr. K Srinivasan. Chairman
of PFI Dr. Bharat Ram is also seen.
Ms. M. Shivakami, student of Bharatiyar University, Coimbatore
receiving Dr. C Chandrashekaran Award for the best paper
presented by a young scholar at the Millennium Conference from
the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Mr. A R Nanda.
Mr. A R Nanda, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the valedictory
session of the Millennium Conference. Dr. Michael Vlassoff (at left) and Dr. K
Srinivasan are also seen.

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lation, Development and
;in Pictures
Dr Saroj Pachauri, Asia Region Director, Population Council chairing a
session at the Millennium Conference. Dr. K Srinivasan and Dr Sudesh
Nangia, Vice-President, IASP are also seen.
Chairman of PFI, Dr. Bharat Ram being honoured by Executive Director Dr.
K Srinivasan as Dr. Michael Vlassoff and Dr. M S Swaminathan applaud.

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coupLes adopt a small famiLy norm
and are abLe to have easy access to
quaLity contraceptive services and
especially after Independence; (ii) to affects our environment but Leads the degree to which women will gain
make aLternative projections at the to shrinking
forests,
nSlng equaLity and be abLe to make
district LeveL on popuLation;
temperature and the whoLesaLe Loss independent reproductive decisions
economic growth and sociaL changes of pLants and animaL species ... wilL determine the pace of India's
and assess their inter-reLationship
neutraLises the fruits of India's
progress."
during the 21st Century; and (iii) to economic growth. As we enter the
recommend a framework of poLicy new millennium with a popuLation One of the highlights
of the
guideLines
and programme
of 100 crore, we need to work Conference was the George Simmons
recommendations
needed to have towards a new consciousness for the MemoriaL Lecture on February 14,
sustainabLe deveLopment in the need of popuLation stabiLisation at 2000 in the memory of Dr. George
country.
aLL LeveLs."
Simmons, who did considerabLe work
on demography,
especiaLLy on
The Conference was inaugurated by In his presidentiaL address, Dr. K investments
in family pLanning
the Union Minister for HeaLth and Srinivasan, Executive Director, PFI programme and cost-benefit anaLysis
Family WeLfare, Mr. N T Shanmugam
and President of IASP, spoke about of such programmes in India.
on February 14, ?OOO at PH 0 House, the newer chaLLenges facing the
New DeLhi. Speaking
on the demographic community in India. Dr. M S Swaminathan, Chairman of
occasion, he said, "Though the "Demographers shouLd shift from our Advisory CounciL and Chairman
government
programmes in the number crunching exercises to a of the NationaL PopuLation PoLicy
country
have
prevented
better understanding
of the Committee set up by the Government
approximateLy 200 million births demographic
phenomenon
in of India in 1992 which submitted its
upto 1998, the growth rate of reLation to sociaL, economic,
report in 1994, deLivered this year's
popuLation has not declined to the environmentaL and poLicy aspects",
Lecture. He spoke on Children for
desired extent so far." He disclosed he said.
Happiness: Key to Population
that the government was presentLy
Stabilisation.
formuLating a NationaL PopuLation Dr. MichaeL VLassoff, UNFPA
PoLicy which aimed at stabiLising the Representative, India, in his address Dr. Swaminathan said, "If popuLation
popuLation at the earLiest.
said, "The degree to which the poLicies go wrong, nothing eLse will
go rig ht". Stressi ng the need
Dr. Bharat Ram, Chairman, PFI
for viewing popuLation poLicies
chaired the inauguraL session
of the Conference.
He
commented on the popuLation
issues and said, "PopuLation is
inextricabLy
Linked with
sustainabLe
deveLopment,
environment, empowerment of
women and sociaL and gender
inequities.
Continued
The main purpose of the
presentations was to bring out
major shocks and crisis that
could await in the future and for
which preparations were
necessary in term's of policies
and programme interventions
at this stage.
in the context of sociaL
deveLopment, Dr. Swaminathan
said that socia-demographic
charters shouLd be prepared by
the peopLe themseLves so as to
better reflect their aspirations
and priorities.
Among the
broader issues of the socio-
demographic
charter
he
popuLation growth not onLy
included
environment,

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~IiI
United Na
POPulatl?n Foundation of IndIa Population
.llennlum Conference
on
ment and Environ
14-16 2000
Delhi
Dr M S Swami nathan, Chairman, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai who delivered this year's George Simmons Memorial
Lecture seen with Dr. Michael Vlassoff and Dr. K Srinivasan.
hygiene, housing, health security,
education, nutrition, security and
gender code.
Dr. Swaminathan said focus on
human development is the best way
of getting national priorities right.
"In the emerging Knowledge and
Innovation
century, human
development will hold the key to
sustainable food and livelihood
security as well as national well being.
It is time to inspire our youth to
build a better India."
Earlier, Dr. Bharat Ram and Dr. M S
Swaminathan were honoured by the
Indian Association for the Study of
Population for their contribution in
promoting population programmes.
Dr. K Srinivasan, President, IASP
presented a scroll and a shawl to each
of them. Dr. Bharat Ram was
honoured for "his life-long initiatives
and sustained achievements in
promoting population stabilisation
and family welfare programmes
through Corporate Sector and non-
governmental organisations" while
Dr. Swaminathan was honoured for
"his life-long initiatives and
contribution in population policies
and sustainable development."
The presentations at the Conference
analysed progress made in specific
subject area during the past 100
years with special ref~rence to the
period after independence, and the
projections for the next century or
for at least 50 years. The main
purpose of the presentations was to
bring out major shocks and crisis
that could await in the future and
for which preparations were
necessary in terms of policies and
programme interventions at this
stage.
The presentations
highlighted the relationship
between changes in population size
and distribution and selected
developmental variables including
ecological variables with a goal to
achieve sustainable development.
Specific recommendations
for
future directions were also made
Continued on page 10

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Dr. Srinivasan is Member of National Statistical Commission
Executive Director Dr KSrinivasan
has been nominated a member
of the National Statistical
Commission under the chairmanship
of Dr. C Rangarajan, Governor,
Andhra Pradesh.
The Commission has been established
by the Government of India to
critically exami ne the deficiencies of
the present statistical system and
recommend measures for revamping
the system in order to generate timely
and reliable statistics for the purpose
of policy and planning in Government
at different levels.
The first meeting of the
Commission was held on February
9, 2000 when it was decided to
constitute seven sub-groups to
examine the issues relating to
specific subject areas namely,
socio-economic,
agriculture,
national accounts, industry,
commerce and corporate sector and
prices statistics, services and
infrastructure,
financial and
external sector statistics, statistical
systems,
information
and
communication, technology needs,
human resource development and
legislation and audit. It was also
decided to bring out sector-specific
reports to the Commission within
two months.
Dr. Srinivasan has been nominated
Convenor of the sub-group on socio-
economic statistics. The sub-group
on socio-economic statistics covers
sectors of Health, Family Welfare,
Nutrition, Education, Gender Issues,
General Population Characteristics
and Labour. Two meetings of the
sub-group have been held so far
and the next meeting of the
Commission is scheduled on
May 16, 2000. ~
world. He said UNFPA was keen to
publish the proceedings of the
Conference.
which would be presented to the This was considered as a fitting finale
Government.
for the Conference.
The Conference was well covered by
the media. The editors of various
The valedictory session of the Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Michael news agencies, newspapers, heads
Conference was addressed by the Vlassoff, UNFPA Representative,
of foreign newspapers based in the
Secretary, Ministry of Health and India, said UNFPA would like to put capital and heads of TV channels,
Family Welfare, Government of India, on its website all the presentations including Doordarshan and All India
Mr. A R Nanda. Executive Director Dr. made at the Conference so that these Radio were sensitised about the
K Srinivasan chaired the session. As a can be accessed throughout the issues discussed in the Conference.
part of his valedictory address,
The Media Conference on
Mr. Nanda and Mrs. Meenakshi
Datta Ghosh, Joint Secretary in
the Ministry presented the
National Population Policy,
2000 which was announced by
"Thoughthe government
programmes in the country have
prevented approximately 200
million births upto 1998, the
February 12, 2000 at the UN
Conference Hall at Lodi Estate
was addressed by the Executive
Director, Dr. K Srinivasan,
UNFPA Country Representative,
the Government on the previous
growth rate of population has
India, Dr. Michael Vlassoff and
day. Copies of the Policy were
not declined to the desired
a representative of the Indian
also distributed to the
participants of the Conference.
extent so far. II
Association for the Study of
Population. ~

2 Pages 11-20

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Governing Board Sub-group to Study National Population Policy
The Governing Board of PH has constituted a
sub-group consisting of its members which
wiLLgive suggestions for implementing the
National Population Policy (NPP), the constitution
and role of Technology Mission and role of
corporate sector and NGOs in the policy. The sub-
group consists of Mr. B G Deshmukh, Dr. V A Pai
Panandiker, Mr. J C Pant and Dr. K Srinivasan.
"The Policy was worth pursuing
with vigour and enthusiasm at the
central, state and local levels
though the goals were rather
over ambitious."
Mrs. Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was a special
invitee to the meeting of the Governing Board on
March 21, 2000. Mrs. Ghosh circulated copies of
NPP 2000 and explained its salient features to the
members. She highlighted the objectives of the NPP
2000, the strategic themes to achieve the goals,
public support caLLed for, new institutional
The sub-group will give
suggestions for implementing the
National PopulationPolicy, the
constitution and role of Technology
Mission and role of corporate
sector and NGOs in the Policy.
structures envisaged, additional funding required
and promotional and motivational measures
needed for the adoption of the small family norm.
She also gave details for the new structure being
created to oversee, review and implement the Policy.
Executive Director Dr. K Srinivasan circulated his
comments on the Policy to the members. He called
the policy weLLconceived, lucidly articulated which
will weLLset the direction for the future course of
population programmes in the country. He felt that
the policy was worth pursuing with vigour and
enthusiasm at the centraL, state and local levels
though the goals were rather over ambitious.
The members of the Governing Board expressed
their happiness that the NPP has been formulated
and tabled before the parliament. The Foundation
has been urging the government for a long time to
chalk out the NPP. A suggestion was made to
organise a seminar to discuss the various aspects
of the NPP and initiate the national debate on the
subject.
Mrs. Ghosh disclosed that the policy envisages
constitution of a coordination ceLLin the Planning
Commission for inter-sectoral coordination between
Ministries. The issue regarding provision of
disincentives was discussed at length by the Group
of Ministers and the Cabinet and it was thought
inappropriate to provide for disincentives when
there is already a large unmet need and deficiency
of services.
Mrs. Ghosh informed the members of the Governing
Board that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
has constituted a Technology Mission for seven
states, where TFR, maternal and infant mortality
rates are comparably high and where sex ratio is
adverse. The Technology Mission wiLLbe constituted
within the Ministry to address the problems of these
backward states. ~

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New Joinings and Departures
\\
Dr. Sharmila Ghosh Neogi joined the
Foundation as Programme Officer (RCH) on
January 1, 2000. After doing her MBBS and
post graduate diploma in Gynaecology and
Obstetrics from Lady Harding Medical
College (where she topped the class),
Dr. Neogi worked as a Senior Resident in
Gynaecology and Obstetrics at Lady Harding Medical College.
She has also worked as a Medical Officer with Parivar Seva
Sanstha and Family Planning Association of India in New Delhi.
Dr. Sanjay Mohanty joined the Foundation
as Programme Associate on March 13,
2000. He was earlier working in a
Reproductive and Child Health Project of
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at
International Institute for Population
Sciences (rIPS), Mumbai. He has
completed Ph.D in Demography from rIPS. He was awarded
Junior Research Fellowship in Economics by UGc.
Dr. Gayathri Subramanian has joined the
Foundation as Medical Officer. After
completing her MBBSfrom Mahatma Gandhi
Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, she
joined the Foundation in January 2000
under the Rural Placement Scheme of her
college. She will handle the clinical aspects
of the RCH component of Tughlakabad and Ghaziabad projects.
Dr. Prashant Raghavendran joined the
Foundation in February 2000 as Medical
Officer looking after the Intensive Family
Welfare and RCH projects at Ghaziabad and
Hari Nagar. He has completed his MBBS
from Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical
Sciences, Wardha.
Dr. V Jayachandran, who had been working in the Foundation
as Research Associate since April 1999 left on January 7,2000
and joined UNICEF as Consultant, Multiple Indicator Cluster
Survey (MICS). He was given a warm farewell by the senior
staff of the Foundation.
Dr. Sanjay Kumar,
Programme Officer
(Monitoring
&
Evaluation) left PFI
and joined CARE-India
at its head office at New
Delhi as Technical
Programme Officer Dr Sanjay Kumar
being presented a farewell gift on behalf
of PFI staff by Mrs PadmaSrinivasan.
Specialist, Research
Methods. He was given
a warm farewell at a
function held at the Foundation on March 29, 2000. The many
qualities of Dr. Sanjay Kumar were praised by the Executive
Director Dr. K Srinivasan and senior executives of the
Foundation. He was also given a gift on behalf of the
Foundation.
Joining the Foundation in 1995 as a Programme Associate, Dr.
Sanjay Kumar was later promoted as Programme Officer (M&E).
During his stay in the Foundation, he was engaged in
monitoring the progress of various projects funded by PFI,
mid-term and final evaluations and designing and analysis of
baseline surveys. He was also involved in preparing data base
and wall-charts. He assisted in updating the population
clock for the country and developing the state specific
population clocks and helped getting the population clock
aired on Doordarshan.
He was also involved in preparing training modules and
served as a faculty member for Reproductive and Child
Health training being imparted by the Foundation to the
staff of NGOs. 3l:
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Editorial Direction & Guidance: Dr K Srinivasan
Editor: Ajay Sunder
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