Bhopal: Expressing concern over rising population, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the state would observe year 2010-11 as a 'family planning year'.
"Population stabilisation is necessary for ensuring development and therefore the issue will be included in the 'Madhya Pradesh Banao' campaign, Chouhan said, while awarding
22 couples under Prerna Yojana at his residence yesterday.
The inclusion of issue in the campaign will help raise people's awareness on it, he said.
The chief minister said that rising population is responsible for poverty and due to this the resources are becoming meagre.
Population stabilisation would lead to provide better health care, including proper treatment, balanced nutrition and education facilities to children, he said.
Though rising population is a nation-wide problem but our government will speed-up efforts to check its growth, he said.
Rewarding 22 couples belonging to BPL category under the state government's 'Prerna' scheme for marrying at a proper age and becoming parents after an appropriate gap,
Chouhan said that they would be treated as 'Ambassador of Madhya Pradesh'.
Chauhan said that these couples would help in spreading message of population stabilisation in every village of the state.
At present the population growth rate in the state is 3.3 per cent and the target is to reduce it to 2.3 per cent, he said, adding that it is the duty of every citizen to contribute in this endeavour.
Minister of State for Health Mahendra Hardia, Health Secretary S R Mohanty, Health Commissioner Manohar Agnani, Population Stabilisation Fund representatives Dr M S Ranawat and Dr Samanta Ray were also present on the occasion.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 14:51