Here's how Yogi Adityanath plans to improve the state of family planning in UP

After taking a slew of administrative decisions to improve law and order situation in the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has now decided to roll out a new central family planning scheme - Mission Parivar Vikas - to address maternal and infant mortalities in Uttar Pradesh.

The Economic Times on Wednesday reported that the state government has devised a new strategy to drive home the message of family planning in its most populous districts.

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The government has decided to place free condom boxes at strategic locations in cities and villages, a kit for newly wed couples with packs of condoms, emergency contraceptive pills and a pregnancy testing kit. It will also organise saas-bahu sammelans to create awareness about the family planning.

Yogi Adityanath's latest move is in accordance with the Central government's direction that had asked the then Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, to develop a strategy where vulnerable districts in the state could be targeted for intensive and improved family planning services.

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Former CM Akhilesh Yadav ignored the Centre's instruction which was related to findings of the Central Health Ministry. However, the new Chief Minister has shown his commitment to improve healthcare system in the state.

Last year in September, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare identified 145 high focus districts having the highest total fertility rates in the country.

These 145 districts are in the seven states - Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Assam - that constitute 44 per cent of the country's population.

These districts were identified based on total fertility rate and service delivery for immediate, special and accelerated efforts to reach the replacement level fertility goals of 2.1 by 2025.

The Health Ministry said that the data suggested that these 145 districts had total fertility rates of more than/equal to 3.0 (56 per cent of the 261 districts in the seven states) and are home to 28 per cent of India's population.

"These districts have a substantial impact on maternal and child health indicators as about 25-30 per cent of maternal deaths and 50 per cent of infant deaths occur in these districts," the Health Ministry had said.
 
According to the reports, a new contraceptive injection is being rolled out, where women opting for it will be paid an incentive of Rs 100 per shot. "Nearly 47,000 nurses and Asha workers would be trained to give these injectables," ET reported.