Family welfare programme and population stabilization strategies in India

India is currently the second most populous country in the world. Population is likely to reach 1 billion by the turn of the century at the present rate of growth. This article provides an overview of the present and past demographic context, population program strategies, family welfare program achievements and deficits, program approaches, and fertility determinants. The author suggests that it is time for the family welfare program to shift directions. The emphasis of family welfare programs should focus on improving the quality of people's lives rather than on demographic targets or on birth control in a very narrow sense. Quality of life improvements would entail increased literacy, a higher status for women, reduced infant mortality, and reduced poverty. The responsibility for family planning must be placed on individual families and not government effort. In order to achieve almost replacement level fertility by 2010, contraceptive prevalence must increase from the present 44% to at least 70%. Increased contraceptive prevalence will not occur without the adoption of the small family norm and improvement in socioeconomic conditions. Family planning programs and services must be accessible at the village level. Sustained fertility decline is achieved by sustained effort and not short-term drastic actions. This article reviews the basic philosophy of the family welfare program, evaluates the effectiveness of the program in achieving fertility decline, and assesses the role of development and other fertility determinants, such as women's status, in reducing fertility.