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(SIFPSA Districts
Show Dramatic Results) |
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| The census operation in India is the
biggest single administrative exercise in the world. It
throws up a wealth of information on a variety of social
and economic indicators and provides invaluable insight
into the process of change. Though techniques of statistics
have advanced sufficiently to enable us to get snapshots
of developments between two rounds of census through sample
surveys, the census continues to be the real thing, the
sole arbiter of what is happening and its ultimate reliable
estimate, because of its sheer size and massive spread.
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| Those working in SIFPSA and more widely
in the RCH programme in UP, were eagerly awaiting the
census findings. A number of surveys in the last five
years had showed that in UP, demographic indicators like
the total fertility rate (TFR) were indeed moving southwards
and the performance trends were positive. However, some
degree of skepticism did prevail as to the authenticity
of these estimates. The census results have changed all
that ! |
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Survey Findings Endorsed
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| Assessments carried out by a number
of independent agencies on behalf of USAID had indicated
that the SIFPSA programme was having its impact in the
field. The UP decenial population growth rate figures
have confirmed this. |
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| Census – 2001 findings show that while
in UP, the population growth rate has marginally increased
by 0.25 percentage points in the last decade, in districts
where SIFPSA works, the growth rate has dropped. Further,
the drop is proportionate to the intensity and level of
SIFPSA’s intervention. Thus, in 39 PERFORM districts where
SIFPSA funds only government sector projects, the decrease
in the population growth rate is by 0.26 percentage points,
while in 20 SIFPSA priority districts where SIFPSA works
through the government sector and private sector projects
this decrease is by 1.24 percentage points. What is most
exciting is the data from the six District Action Plan
districts where integrated SIFPSA interventions through
district societies, the DIFPSAs, are on. In these districts,
SIFPSA supports government sector projects, private sector
projects and comprehensive need-based decentralized RCH
activities. The decrease in the population growth rate
is a steep 3.33 percentage points in these districts.
This is even more remarkable as these are the more difficult
districts where the growth rate in the previous decade
was the highest. |
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| To conclude, SIFPSA activities seem
to be producing results and there appears to be a case
for extending SIFPSA DAP activities further. Following
this line of thinking, the Governing Body of SIFPSA in
its last meeting held on 26th March 2001, has decided
to extend District Action Plans to all districts of the
state. |
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UP
1995-2000 |
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The Roll of Honour |
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Spacing
contraceptive rate doubled in 15 districts
where SIFPSA has funded NGO projects
— MACRO Survey |
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TFR
in UP decreased from 4.8 in 1993 to
3.99 in 1999 — NFHS-1 & 2 |
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CPR
in SIFPSA NGO districts increased by
5.1% points from 1995 to 1999 compared
to 0.7% points in other districts —
USAID survey findings |
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Proportion
of pregnant women covered by two doses
of TT went up from 13% in 1999 to 59%
in 2000 — PRC, Lucknow and ORG MARG |
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