States pulled up for tardy implementation

He cited the example of Uttar Pradesh which has not been able to match the growing demand for contraceptives by ensuring access to reasonably good services.

Monitoring of the family planning programme "has never been good" and states need to intensify monitoring, he said.

The reproductive and child health (RCH) programme which has been in operation for two years has been slow to start, possibly because state governments took some time to adapt themselves to the comprehensive and holistic programmes on women and child health, Thakur said.

The acid test of the country’s success in implementing the RCH programme will be a significant improvement in the health status of women and children in the next two or three years, the Minister said.

Pointing out the harsh reality — plateauing of infantmortality rate in most states, unacceptably high maternal mortality, decline in routine immunisation standards — Thakur stressed the need for improvement in immunisation programme in some major states.