FAMILY WELFARE PROGRAMME IN INDIA
INTRODUCTION
India launched the National Family
Welfare Programme in 1951 with the objective of "reducing the birth rate to the
extent necessary to stabilise the population at a level consistent with the
requirement of the National economy".
The Family Welfare Programme in
India is recognised as a priority area, and is being implemented as a 100%
Centrally sponsored programme. As per Constitution of India, Family Planning is
in the Concurrent list. The approach under the programme during the First and
Second Five Year Plans was mainly "Clinical" under which facilities
for provision of services were created. However, on the basis of data brought
out by the 1961 census, clinical approach adopted in the first two plans was
replaced by "Extension and Education Approach" which envisaged
expansion of services facilities along with spread of message of small family
norm.
The estimates of population requiring various
family welfare services as on 2001 are given below:
|
Total eligible couples (wife in the reproductive age group of 15-44) |
177 millions |
|
Total no. of pregnant women |
29.5 millions |
|
Total no. of new borns |
26.8 millions |
|
Total no. of children 0-6 Years as per Census 2001 |
158 millions |
|
|
