India has achieved replacement level fertility with as many as 31 states/ UTs having achieved a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1 or less.
The regional divide in population stabilisation is attributed to the following reasons:
- Female literacy: Higher literacy improves health awareness, leading to lower fertility. Bihar (3.1, 52%) vs Kerala (1.8, 95%).
- Age of marriage: Later marriages delay pregnancies and reduce family size. Early marriages are higher in Bihar, UP, MP, while Kerala, Tamil Nadu have lower early marr
- Poverty: Poor families often have more children for economic security. Jharkhand (40% BPL, fertility >2.1), Chhattisgarh (37% BPL, fertility >2.1).
- Healthcare: Better maternal care reduces child mortality and fertility. UP (14% antenatal care, fertility ~4) vs Kerala (near 100%, fertility ~2).
- Contraceptive use: Low awareness and access to contraception raise birth rates. Bihar (76% not using) vs Kerala (36%).
The measures taken for population control in the country include:
- The government organized “vasectomy camps” in 1971, targeting sterilizations as a form of population control. In 1971 alone, approximately 1.3 million men underwent sterilization,
- The National Population Policy, 2000 It set a long-term goal of achieving a stable population by 2045. The focus was on improving reproductive health services, reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, promoting delayed marriage and childbirths.
- Mission Parivar Vikas, 2017 for family planning services in the high fertility districts of seven high focus states with TFR of 3 and above
- Scheme for home delivery of contraceptives by (ASHAs)
- innovative strategies like the distribution of Nayi Pehel kits, Saas Bahu Sammelan and Saarthi vans are helping to reach out to the community and initiate dialogues on Family Planning
- Use of mass media/IEC : small family happy family , street plays etc
- National Population Stabilization Fund aimed at achieving population stabilization by 2045 at levels consistent with the needs of sustainable economic growth, social development and environment protection.
- Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 to prevent sex identification .
Way forward
- Prevent child marriage, incentivize later marriages and child births ( jaya jaitly commission )
- Make contraception easy for women
- promote women’s labour force participation.
- Appointing state population and social development commission
- Recreational activities