Any Coercion To Have Any Specific Number Of Children Is Counter - Productive, Leads To Demographic Distortions

SUMMARY

• BJP spokesperson and lawyer, Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay seeking enactment of law to control population and enforce family planning filed a petition earlier.

• The PIL was challenging a Delhi High Court order that dismissed a plea seeking certain steps, including two-child norm, to control the country’s growing population.

• He submitted in the PIL that overgrowing population is the root cause of most problems including shortage of power, water, land food and poverty.

• In response to that petition, an affidavit was submitted in which central government explained some points contrary to coercion to have limited number of children.

• In an affidavit filed before the top court on December 7, the Centre said that India is a signatory to the Programme of Action of International Conference on Population and Development, 1994 which is unequivocally against coercion in family planning.

CENTRE's POINT OF VIEW

• The Central government told the Supreme Court expressing its disinclination towards forced family planning and population control laws Coercing people to have a certain number of children would be counter-productive and would lead to demographic distortion.

• Centre while explaining its view also stated that international experience shows that any coercion to have a certain number of children is counter-productive and leads to demographic distortions.

• According to Central Government, the Family Welfare Programme in India is voluntary in nature which enables couples to decide the size of their families and adopt family planning methods best suited to them according to their choice without any compulsion.

• Various statistics such as declining fertility rate, maternal and child mortality rate were also highlighted by health ministry.

• The ministry also pointed out “public health” was a state subject and the state governments should lead the process of health sector reforms in a suitable and sustainable manner.

• IIt said that Improvement in the health sector can be effectively led by the state government with effective monitoring and specific intervention to control and regulate the implementation process of the guidelines and schemes in a proper perspective.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SUCH POINT OF VIEW? CAN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RESTRICT INDIVIDUALS FROM GIVING BIRTH? SHOULD THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN BE RESTRICTED? LET US KNOW YOUR VIEWS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!