Petition in Supreme Court regarding population control, Center said- people cannot be compelled for family planning

During the hearing on the petition filed in the Supreme Court regarding population control, the central government has said that India is against forcing its people to family planning and determining the number of childbirth. The government has told the court that doing so leads to demographic distortions.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Health has stated that the family welfare program in the country is voluntary, enabling people to decide how big their family is and family planning methods without any compulsion. The Health Ministry has given this reply in response to a PIL filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay.

An order of the Delhi High Court was challenged in this petition by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. In which more demands were rejected, along with the strategy of two children to control the growing population in the country. In its reply, the Ministry of Health has said that public health is a state subject.

The ministry further said that state governments should lead the process of health sector reforms to protect the common people from health hazards. Implementation of schemes as per prescribed guidelines for improvement in the health sector can be effectively led by the respective State Governments.

The Ministry stated that as far as the implementation of the guidelines and schemes in the States is concerned, it has no direct role and it is the prerogative of the concerned State Governments to implement the schemes as per the laid down guidelines. The Ministry only allocates funds to the State Governments for the implementation of approved schemes.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the Supreme Court that India has adopted a comprehensive and overall National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 with clearly articulated objectives, strategic themes, and operational strategies.