Population Planning sector: Punjab government spending Rs 1.336 billion in 2016-17

Punjab government is spending Rs 1.336 billion on Population Planning sector in 2016-17 for implementation of 13 schemes sponsored by Population Welfare department with the collaboration of private sector. Under this programme adolescent reproduction health education cells in family health clinics are being established with nine teaching hospitals in Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.
Sources told Business Recorder that the government is also carrying out expansion of Family Welfare Centres & Introduction of Community Based Family Planning Workers in Attock, Jehlum, Rajanpur, Sargodha, Toba Tek Sing Bahawalpur,Dera Ghazi Khan, Kasur, Rahim Yar Khan, Mandi Baha Ud Din, Muzzafargarh,Khushab, Mianwali Bhakkar, Narrowal, Chakwal, Layyah, Gujrat, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Hafizabad, Okara.
They said that the government has clear objectives for population planning such as: Reduce population growth rate from 1.9 per cent per annum in 2004 to 1.3 percent per annum by the year 2020, Reduce fertility through enhanced voluntary contraceptive adoption to replacement level 2.1 births per woman by 2020, Increase contraceptive prevalence rate from 38 to 60 percent by 2020, Universal access to safe family planning methods by 2020, Lower wanted family size from 3.0 to 2.5 by 2020 through an effective population communication and education programme focusing on small family size and its relationship with human welfare and environmental security.