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Somnath: factor population in development strategies

Special Correspondent

Education is the "best contraceptive" for population stabilisation

— Photo: S. Subramanium

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee inaugurates the Asian Parliamentarians' Meeting on Population and Development in New Delhi on Sunday. He is flanked by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit (left) and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi.

NEW DELHI : Cautioning against taking globalisation as a mantra for everything, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said it is essential to have a human face in developmental issues. "What matters is people's needs and aspirations," he said.

Mr. Chatterjee was inaugurating the 22nd Asian Parliamentarians' Meet on Population and Development here on Sunday.

He said increasing involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions in ensuring inter-sectoral coordination and local participation in planning, monitoring and management of population stabilisation programmes would provide a great impetus to developmental plans.

Arguing in favour of a strong societal and political will in dealing with such issues, Mr. Chatterjee said a situation had to emerge in favour of creating an environment for a "holistic, people-centred approach which will broaden participation in development programmes."

"All of us should recognise the need for a consensual approach on critical problems especially in the context of a globalising society. The forces that are driving the new world order must recognise that there is no easy solution. Each country has to develop its own approach based on its native realities, historical factors and social mores."

Emphasising that population stabilisation policies should be structured into developmental strategies, he said only then the country would be able to speed up the pace of sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Noting that "numerical magnitude" of population caused various political and economic changes, he said significant investments have to be made in health and education sectors.

Mr. Chatterjee said the Government should be able to facilitate the transformation of population into an asset by converting it into a high value-added workforce.

"Issues relating to population growth should not be seen in isolation. Population stabilisation has to become the concern of all."

Education was the "best contraceptive" for population stabilisation, which will in turn help in realising development goals.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit called for a concerted effort to address issues of adolescents and women. "Our immediate concern is about how to address the problems of adolescents, who form a large bulk of the population,'' she said.

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