 bill no 207 of 2018 the population (stabilization & planning) bill, 2018 by shri anurag singh thakur, mp a billto provide for a comprehensive policy towards stabilizing the population of the country byproviding voluntary and safe access to methods of contraception, establishment of a population planning agency, promotion of schemes that incentivizes the small family norm, creating awareness on family planning and providing access of education to empower every girl child and for all matters connected therewith or incidental theretobe it enacted by parliament in the sixty-ninth year of the republic of india, as follows:—1 (1) this act may be called the population (stabilization and planning) act, 2018short title, extent and commencement(2) it extends to the whole of india except the state of jammu and kashmir (3) it shall come into force on such date, as the central government may, by notificationin the official gazette, appoint52 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—definitions(a) " agency" means the national population planning agency constituted under section 3;(b) " appropriate government" means in the case of a state, the government of that state and in all other cases, the central government;(c) " hospital" means any private and public healthcare institutions that provides general, critical care or specialized healthcare;5(d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act; and (e) "small family" means a family having two living children or less3 (1) the central government shall, within one year of the coming into force of this act constitute an agency to be known as the national pupulation planning agency for carrying out the purpose of this actconstitution of a national population planning agency10(2)  the agency shall consist of:—(a) secretary, ministry of health and family welfare - ex-officio, chairperson; (b) chairperson, national commission for women—ex-efficio member;(c) secretary, ministry of women and child development —ex-officio member;(d) secretary, ministry of social justice and empowerment—ex-officio, member;15(e)  secretary, ministry of human resource development—member; and (f)   two persons, with experience of at least fifteen years in the social sector, one of whom shall be a women; (3)  the central government shall appoint such number of officers and staff as it considers necessary for the functioning of the agency20(4) the salary and allowances payable to and terms and conditions of services of the members, officers and staff of the agency shall be such as may be prescribed4 the agency shall:—functions of the agency(a) conduct nation-wise surveys at an interval of every five years to assess the growth in population and trends;25(b) ensure dissemination of proper information regarding safe family planning methods such as contraception and spacing between births;(c) include in school curriculum a proper syllabus on the importance of pupulation stabilization;30(d) formulate schemes to provide for education up to college level for the first child and to the second child only  if gap between the two is greater than three years;(e) establish recreational centres at panchayat level to host traditional art forms and also use them as medium to disseminate messages regarding family planning;(f) undertake, promote and publish studies relating to the indian pupulation;35(g) conduct awareness campaigns relating to medical procedures regarding birth control; and(h) undertake such other activities as may be prescribed by the central governmentmeetings of the agency5 the agency shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to transaction of business at its meetings as may be prescribed40 6 (1) the appropriate government shall establish family planning quality assurances committees at the state and district level(2)  the committee shall,—(a) ensure quality care in family planning services through accreditation of every hospital or clinic providing such services;establishment of family planning quality assurance committees at state and district level(b) conduct regular inspections to ensure that services are disseminated in accordance with standards established by the committee; and(c)  establish a citizen's grievance redressal mechanism to assess into faulty disservice at any clinic or hospital57 notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, every person, who adopts the small family norm, shall be entitled to—incentive based population control measures(a) one additional increment as incentive if the person is employed with thecentral or the state government;(b) free healthcare at all the public healthcare institutions for the entire family;10(c) subsidised education for the children at public schools; and (d) receive such other benefits as may be precribed by the central governmentfrom time to time158 the appropriate government shall ensure that people have access to quality and affordable contraceptive devices, medicines and healthcare pertaining to family planning and matters incidental and consequential theretoaccess of safe and voluntary family planning measures9 the appropriate government shall—access to quality education to the girl child(a) ensure that measures are taken to secure the right to education of goodquality for women and girls, on an equal basis with men and boys, and that they complete a full course of primary education; and20(b) review efforts to improve and expand the education of girls and women at alllevels, including at the secondary and higher levels, as well as vocational education and technical traning, in order to, inter alia achieve gender equality, empowermentof women and poverty eradication2510 the central  government shall, after due appropriation made by parliament bylaw in this behalf, from time to time, provide requisite funds for carrying out the purposes of this actcentral government to provide funds power to remove difficulties 11 if any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this act, the central government, in consultation with the state governments, may make such order or give such direction, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, as appears to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:30provided that no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of three years from the commencement of this actpower to make rules12 (1) the appropriate government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this act35 40(2) every rule made under this act by the central government shall be laid, as soon asmay be after it is made, before each house of parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both the houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule40(3) every rule made by the state government under this act shall be laid, as soon asmay be after it is made, before the state legislature statement of objects and reasonsindia is the third most populous country in the world despite the fact that it was the first country to enact a national population control policy conversely, india's population has grown steadily since independence studies suggest that the country could surpass china's population by the year 2030, therefore, becoming the most populous country in the worlda high human population can impact natural resources and social infrastructure, which in turn places pressure on a country's sustainability indian population accounts for twenty per cent of the total world population, however, the indian land area is only 25 per cent of the total in a developing country such as india where a large section of the population still lives in abject poverty with little to no resources, the need for stabilization of the population growth becomes crucial a stabilised  population ensures that every citizen can get access to the right amount of resources to live a life of dignityadopting a rights-based approach, the need is to provide for voluntary and safe access to family planning services the increase in access will empower women additionally, access to these services allows spacing of pregnancy which can reduce pregnancy related health risks in women it would also ensure that the infant is healthier thereby reducing infant mortality rate in the country therefore, a comprehensive policy for population stabilisation can help in moving towards a healthier populationnew delhi;anurag singh thakurnovember 19, 2018 financial memorandumclause 3 of the bill provides for constitution of a national population planning agencyit also provides for appointment of persons with experience in social sector as members, officers and staff to the agency clause 6 provides for establishment of family planning quality assurances committees at the state and district level by the appropriate governments clause 7 provides for  certain incentives for small family norm clause 8 provides for access to quality and affordable contraceptive devices, medicines and healthcare  pertaining to family planning clause 9 provides for access to quality education to the girl child clause 10 provides that the central government shall provide requisite funds carrying out the purposes of the act the, bill, therefore, if enacted would involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india it is estimated that a recurring expenditure of about rupees two thousand crore per annum would be involved from the consolidated fund of indiaa non-recurring expenditure of about rupees two hundred crore is also likely to be involved memorandum  regarding  delegated  legislationclause 12 of the bill empowers the appropriate government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the bill as the rules will relate to matters of detail only, the delegation of legislative power is of a normal character———— a billto provide for a comprehensive policy towards stabilizing the population of the countryby providing voluntary and safe access to methods of contraception, establishmentof a population planning agency, promotion of schemes that incentivizes thesmall family norm, creating awareness on family planning and providingaccess of education to empower every girl child and for all mattersconnected therewith or incidental thereto————(shri anurag singh thakur, mp)mgipmrnd—2325ls(s3)—17-12-2018