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Action plan for reducing birth rate

Special Correspondent

A high-level committee appointed Emphasis on increasing the average age of marriage, improving availability of family welfare services

JAIPUR: The action plan for reducing the common birth rate in Rajasthan will lay emphasis on increasing the average age of marriage, improving availability of family welfare services and promoting institutional deliveries.

A high-level committee appointed by the State Government for formulating the action plan observed here on Tuesday that this strategy would make a significant contribution to the stabilisation of population. The committee is headed by the Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development, Alka Kala.

Ms. Kala pointed out that a pilot project for stabilisation of population, presently operative in Tonk and Jhalawar districts, would be gradually extended to other districts. She called for effective monitoring to ensure that the current average age --17.1years -- of marriage of girls was increased and no girl was married off before 18 years.

The National Adviser on Population Stabilisation and former Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, T.V. Anthony, said the reduction in common birth rate was restricted to a few areas in Rajasthan and all attempts should be made to reduce it to 21 per 1,000. He said the small family norm should be popularised by improving the infrastructure of reproductive health delivery.

The representatives of UNICEF and UNFPA, in addition to the officials of Medical and Health, Rural Development, and Panchayati Raj Departments, also attended the meeting.

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