HT Bureau

GUWAHATI, June 26: NHM will celebrate World Population Day on the theme “Provision of family planning services even in a crisis, for a self-reliant nation and family” on July 11.

This year Assam has geared up for celebrating the World Population Day with extensive IEC campaigns and mobilisation of clients. The WPD will be conducted in two phases. Mobilisation fortnight (Dampatti Sampark Pakhwada) from June 27 to July 10 and population stabilisation fortnight {Jansankhya Sthirita Pakhwada) From July 11 to 24, a press release said.

Access to high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health services and information, including a full range of contraceptive methods, is fundamental to realising the rights and well-being of women and girls, men and boys. India has adopted a multipronged strategy to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

India has continued its efforts to expand the range and reach of contraceptive options through rolling out new contraceptives and delivering a full range of family planning services at all levels.

Assam has recorded a significant decline in total fertility rate (TFR) from 2.9 to 2.3 between 2006 and 2016 (SRS) and 1.9 in 2019 (NFHS 5) For the upcoming WPD 2021, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the major thrust will be to empower people with the knowledge on family planning and the basket of choice available so that they can opt for family planning method best suited for them.

There are incentives too for the acceptors of sterilisation. For female sterilisation for districts namely Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Karimganj and Udalguri the incentive is Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 depending on the type of method (PPS/Minilap/LS) and for other districts it is Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 2,200.

For male sterilisation the incentive is Rs. 3,000 in districts namely Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Karimganj and Udalguri and Rs. 2,000 in case of other districts, the press release further stated.