National Human Development Report: 2001 - Indira Gandhi Institute ...

NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2001 HEALTH ATTAINMENTS & DEMOGRAPHIC CONCERNS 87and capital expenditure — to GrossNational Population Policy 2000State Domestic Product was above 4per cent in case of HimachalIn 1952, India was the first country to launch a national programme,Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir,emphasising family planning, to the extent necessary, for reducing birth ratesbetween 2-2.5 per cent in case ofto stabilise the population at a level consistent with the requirement ofRajasthan and Kerala, between 1.5-national economy. But it was only in 2000 that a National Population Policy2 per cent in case of Orissa, Madhyawas adopted in the country. The Policy has the long-term objective ofPradesh and Tamil Nadu and lessachieving a stable population by 2045, at a level consistent with thethan 1.5 per cent for the rest inrequirements of sustainable economic growth, social development and1980-81. In 1998-99, it was aboutenvironmental protection. The Policy has set the following goals for 2010:2.5 per cent in Himachal Pradesh• Universal access to quality contraceptive services in order to lower the Totaland Jammu & Kashmir, 1.6 per centFertility Rate to 2.1 and attaining two-child norm.for Andhra Pradesh and between 1• Full coverage of registration of births, deaths and marriage and pregnancy.and 1.5 per cent for Tamil Nadu,• Universal access to information/counselling services for fertility regulationOrissa and Karnataka and less thanand contraception with a wide basket of choices.1 per cent for the rest. It turns out• Infant Mortality Rate to decline below 30 per thousand live births and sharpthat the proportion of publicreduction in the incidence of low birth weight (below 2.5 kg.) babies.resources for health at the State• Universal immunisation of children against vaccine preventable diseases,level declined in the last twoelimination of Polio by 2000 and near elimination of Tetanus and Measles.decades for almost all States. The• Promote delayed marriage for girls, not earlier than age 18 and preferablyshare of Central Governmentafter 20 years of age.allocations to the health sector,• Achieve 80 per cent institutional deliveries and increase in the percentage ofhowever increased, though onlydeliveries conducted by trained persons to 100 per cent.marginally in the nineties.• Containing Sexually Transmitted Diseases.The private expenditure on• Reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio to less than 100 per 100,000 live births.health has shown a significant• Universalisation of primary education and reduction in the dropout rates atincrease in the nineties. The dataprimary and secondary levels to below 20 per cent both for boys and girls.from National Accounts StatisticsThe National Commission on Population has been constituted under theshows that as against an averageChairmanship of the Prime Minister and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commissiongrowth of a little over 2 per cent inas Vice Chairman on 11th May 2000 to review, monitor and give directions forthe expenditure on health in theimplementation of the National Population Policy. A Strategic Support Groupeighties, when the growth in privateconsisting of Secretaries of concerned sectoral ministries has been constituted asfinal consumption expenditure wasStanding Advisory Group to the Commission. Some Working Groups have beenaround 4 per cent per annum, theconstituted to look into specific aspects of implementation of the Policy.growth in health expenditure, in thenineties, was over 7.5 per cent perannum as against the growth of 4.6 per cent in the total private finalconsumption expenditure. The growing dependence of the population onprivate health care facilities is also reflected in indicators capturing thegrowth of health care infrastructure in the private sector.Summing UpStabilisation of population is an essential requirement for promotingsustainable development and a more equitable distribution of resources andopportunities in a developing society characterised by range of scarcities andmultiple constraints on the ability to transform its endowments intodesirable development outcomes. In spite of being among the first in theworld to recognise the importance of and initiate family planning and