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Do you think the Narendra Modi government is planning to control the high growth of population? Think again.
Already, the Centre has conveyed to the Supreme Court that India is unequivocally against forcing family planning on its people.
More, the Centre has also told the apex court that "any coercion to have a certain number of children is counter-productive and leads to demographic distortions."
Responding to a PIL filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay challenging a Delhi High Court order that dismissed a plea seeking certain steps, including two-child norm, to control the country's growing population. The Union Health Ministry in an affidavit filed in the top court that the family welfare programme in the country is voluntary in nature.
"It enables couples to decide the size of their family and adopt family planning methods best suited to them, according to their choice and without any compulsion."
The Ministry said that 'public health' is a state subject and the state governments must lead the process of health sector reforms in a suitable and sustainable manner to protect the common people from health hazards.