Successful Models of Population Control in States

Kerala Model

Kerala is the leading example for population stabilization in the country. When compared with China, Kerala’s birth, death and infant mortality rates are lower and literacy rates are higher. Kerala has achieved all these achievements without resorting to any coercive measures. Kerala’s model has been by eleven ‘M’s. They are:

Maharajas

Historically, the rulers of Kerala, namely, rulers of Travancore and Cochin had an enlightened outlook towards health and education of their subjects. So they concentrated much on the human resource development. This has made Kerala to have highest rating among all states on Human Development Index.

Missionaries

The Christian missionaries continues to run a lot of hospitals, schools and colleges in the state which is said to have played a very important role in promoting health and education in Kerala.

Mass Movements

Kerala has witnessed several mass movements which were led by social reformers and visionaries who developed a high degree of political consciousness among the people to fight for their rights.

Marxist governments

Kerala was the first states in India to have an elected Marxist government. This government was credited with successful implementation of land reforms. Land reforms made all those land owners who lost their lands to take education as an alternative way to earn a living. Similarly, the beneficiaries of land reforms who received small piece of land also took to education. Thus, land reforms made a large number of people to turn to education which over time has reaped long term dividends in the state.

Massive investments

Successive governments in Kerala had given prominence to the development of human resources by investing heavily to promote health standards and adopt small family norms.

Mega Villages

Rural-urban continnum is a very unique feature in the settlement pattern of Kerala. This coupled with good transportation network have given the population easy access to health and education.

Matrilineal System

In Kerala, in some higher castes, matrilineal system is followed which offers a higher status for women and helpful social environment when compared with other states of India.

Marriage Age

In Kerala, due to the influence of education, girls and boys get married lately. Late marriages and educated mothers have contributed significantly to control the population growth, arrest maternal, infant and child mortality rates.

Migration

Historically, people of Kerala have been migrating to different parts of the world. In 1970s, there was sudden spurt in emigration of keralites to the Gulf countries. Migration of people has many benefits. It eases population pressure and unemployment and earns considerable monetary remittances. All this increases the per capita real income of the people of the state.

Media

In Kerala, print and electronic media have a very high circulation. These magazines and newspapers have helped in spreading family planning messages and creating awareness among the people.

Management

Implementation and management of the family planning measures are very good in Kerala. Also, private doctors and hospitals of the state have also played a prominent role in reducing the mortality and fertility rates in Kerala.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is known for many social reform movements. Special mention has to be made of reform movements led by leaders like Periyar (Ramasami Naicker) which made people to be conscious of responsible parenthood. Later when Periyar’s disciples became leaders and ministers, they took strong policy measures on the population front.

Mid-day meal Scheme

In Tamil Nadu, mid-day meal scheme was launched earlier and was a great success. This scheme improved school attendance and nutrition levels among the children. Additionally, many women were employed for cooking meals to the children. This scheme had huge impact on family planning programme as it improved credibility of the government and helped people to place faith in government’s small family norms.

Transport and Communication

In Tamil Nadu, towns and cities are evenly distributed. There also exists a good network of transportation. This has made access to education and health easy and efficient.

Himachal Pradesh Model

The most important factor that has influenced the Himachal Pradesh model is self-empowerment of women. The following are the main elements of this model:

• Realization among the people of the state that the carrying capacity of the hilly state is highly limited.
• Realization among the people that migration of male members of the family is the only way out to improve the economic condition of the family.
• Self-empowerment of women who are mostly left behind in the village. These women do not have any other option other than to learn how to care of the household, children, elders in the family and themselves.
• Realization that education is important for boys and girls to get employment opportunities in cities. This factor has resulted in high enrolment ratio for both boys and girls in schools and colleges.
• Chinese aggression in 1962 led to the development of roads even in remote parts of the state resulting in vast improvement in transportation network.
• Huge success of the state government in ensuring the availability of water and electricity to almost all villages.
• Acceptance of the philosophy of living in tune with nature and respect for honesty and moral code among the god-fearing people of the state.

Andhra Pradesh model

Andhra Pradesh became the first state in India to come up with a State Population Policy in 1997. Andhra Pradesh’s model is described as SURPRISE PPP model:

• ‘SUR’ stands for subsidized rice,
• ‘PRI’ stands for priority to Sterilization (S), exposure to media (E),
• ‘PPPs’ stands for political leadership, people’s mobilization and programmed push.