The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today, that National Population Policy formulated in the year 2000, reaffirms the Government’s commitment towards voluntary and informed choice, target free approach and achievement of replacement level of fertility by simultaneously addressing the issues of contraception, maternal health and child survival.

The National Family Planning Programme of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is guided by the tenets of the National Population Policy 2000 and oversees its implementation. Under this program, the service delivery data is triangulated and further, the program is regularly reviewed through annual review meetings, supportive supervision visits, common review missions etc.

As a result of the Government’s efforts, the successes achieved are enumerated below:

- The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined from 2.9 in 2005 to 2.2 in 2017 (SRS).

- 25 out of 37 States/UTs have already achieved replacement level fertility of 2.1 or less.

- The Decadal growth rate has declined from 21.54% in 1999-2000 to 17.64 % during 2001-11.

-The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) has declined from 23.8 to 20.2 from 2005 to 2017 (SRS).

-The Teenage birth rate has halved from 16 % (NFHS III) to 8 % (NFHS IV).