My Ministry is also in close touch with the Education Ministry with regard to the introduction of population values in the educational system, and the NCERT has already made a beginning in bringing out some textbooks on these lines. It is essential that the younger generations should grow up with an adequate awareness of the population problem and a realization of their national responsibility in this regard. Indeed, if I may venture to say so, exhortations to plan families are more important for the younger generations than for those who have already made their contribution to our demographic profile.

The adoption of a small family norm is too important a matter to be considered the responsibility of only one Ministry. It is essential that all Ministries and Departments of the Government of India as well as the states should take up as an integral part of their normal programme and budgets the motivation of citizens to adopt responsible reproductive behaviour both in their own as well as the national interest. A directive to this effect is being issued by the Prime Minister to all Ministries of the Government of India, and a letter will also be addressed by her to all Chief Ministers. The performance of family planning in the states will be more carefully and intensively monitored than in the past, and the Union Cabinet will review the situation in depth at least once a year.

Experience over the last 20 years has shown that monetary compensation does have a significant impact upon the acceptance of family planning, particularly among the poorer sections of society. In view of the desirability of limiting the family size to two or three it has been decided that monetary compensation for sterilization (both male and female) will be raised to Rs.150 if performed with two living children or less, Rs. 100 if performed with three living children and Rs. 70 if performed with four or more children. This amount will include the money payble to individual acceptors as will as other charges such as drugs and dressings, etc, and will take effect from 1 may 1976. Facilities for sterilization and MTP are being increasingly extended to cover rural areas.