HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 172 : Model Answer

QUESTION: Discuss the National Population Policy 2000. (8 marks/ 120 words)

Answer:

In 1952, India was the first country in the world to launch a national programme, emphasizing family planning to the extent necessary for reducing birth rates “to stabilize the population at a level consistent with the requirement of national economy”.

The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 provides a policy framework of achieving goals and prioritizing strategies to meet the reproductive and child health needs of the people of India along with the target to achieve the net replacement levels (Total Fertility Rate). It aims at stable population by 2045.

Objectives of National Population Policy (NPP) 2000:

There are three types of objectives of National Population Policy (NPP), 2000:

1. The Immediate Objective:

The immediate objective is to address the unmet needs for contraception, health care infrastructure and health personnel and to provide integrated service delivery for basic reproductive and child health care.

2. The Medium-Term Objective:

The medium-term objective is to bring the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to replacement level by 2010 through vigorous implementation in inter-sectorial operational strategies.

3. The Long-Term Objective:

The long-term objective is to achieve a stable population by 2045 at a level consistent with the requirements of sustainable economic growth, social development, and environment protection.

Targets of National Population Policy:  

The following are the targets of National Population Policy:

1. Achieve zero growth rate of population by 2045.
2. Reduce infant mortality rate of below 30 per thousand live births.
3. Reduce maternal mortality ratio of below 100 per 1, 00,000 live births.
4. Reduce birth rate to 21 per 1000 by 2010.
5. Reduce total fertility rate (TFR) to 2.1 by 2010.

India’s TFR is already down substantially to 2.2 as per the 2018 Sample Registration System, which is part of the Census exercise, from 3.2 in 2000, when the National Population Policy was adopted. So, we can say that, the National Population Policy 2000 has given a focused approach to the problem of population stabilization.