Jaipur:  Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Friday said according to the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) 2018, the fertility rate of Rajasthan is 2.5 per cent whereas the national average is 2.2 per cent.

According to Millennium Development Goals, the fertility rate is to be brought down to 2.1 per cent by the target year 2025. For this, we have to adopt the policy of ‘Hum Do, Humare Ek’ (We Two, Ours One), he added.

The Minister was addressing a Family Welfare Promotion prize distribution function. He said the problem of increasing population is getting frightening not only in India but in the entire world. The balance of nature is continuously deteriorating due to increasing population. This is causing problems in food grains, drinking water, housing, education, health and employment.

‘Population Stabilisation’ fortnight is being observed from July 11 to 24, Sharma added. The theme of the fortnight is ‘Aapda me bhi parivar niyojan ki taiyari, saksham rashtra aur parivar ki poori jimmedari’ (Preparation of family planning even during crisis for the complete responsibility of nation and family) and this message is being carried to villages and hamlets.

He said nearly 2.5 lakh sterilisations are done every year in the state under the family planning programme.

Health Secretary Siddharth Mahajan said the contribution of women in the sterilisation programme is nearly 99 per cent and that of men is only 1 per cent under the family welfare programme, whereas vasectomy (male sterilisation) is very easy.

Efforts are being made to encourage male sterilisation to make the family welfare programme successful, he added. The IUCD services are being provided post-delivery at the high load delivery points. The compensation and incentive amount for sterilisation have been increased. He informed in detail about the work being done by the Department of Family Welfare.

Director Public Health, KK Sharma, said family planning is the responsibility of an individual as well as the community. He said increasing population can be controlled only if we ourselves adopt the means of family welfare and inspire others too.-IANS