Q.Describe the family planning programme in India.

India's family planning (family welfare) programme began in 1952 as the first in the world. It seeks to slow population growth and improve maternal and child health through spreading the small-family idea, contraceptive services, a higher marriage age and integration with the National Health Mission.

Background

Faced with rapid population growth, India launched an official family-planning programme in 1952. Over time it was renamed the Family Welfare Programme and linked with maternal and child health.

Main features / measures

1. Spreading awareness of the benefits of a small family ('Hum Do, Hamare Do').
2. Providing contraceptive methods — spacing methods (pills, IUDs, condoms) and terminal methods (sterilisation), free or subsidised.
3. Raising the age at marriage of girls to reduce the child-bearing span.
4. Promoting the two-child norm and voluntary adoption of family planning.
5. Maternal and child-health care, immunisation and institutional delivery (schemes like Janani Suraksha Yojana).
6. Incentives and counselling through ASHA and health workers, integrated under the National Health Mission. …