Odisha govt to gift 'wedding kits' with condoms, family planning booklets to newly-weds

In a significant move, the Odisha government is all set to introduce a new initiative to motivate young married couples to adopt proper family planning as part of population control measures.

The initiative called Nai Pahal Scheme under the National Health Mission (NHM) aims to raise awareness about the need of adopting temporary and permanent methods of family planning by young couples.

Under the scheme, the state government has planned to gift newlyweds 'wedding kits' having a booklet on methods and benefits of family planning, marriage registration form, condoms, oral and emergency contraceptives. 

This apart, the kit will also contain pregnancy testing kit, grooming materials like towels, comb, bindi, nail cutter, and mirror among others.

Director of Family Planning Dr. Bijay Panigrahy said the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) will be entrusted with the task of distributing the kits to the newlyweds from September this year. 

ASHAs are being trained to ensure that the new couples are properly encouraged to adopt family planning methods through the initiative, said Panigrahy.

According to State Mission Director of NHM, Shalini Pandit, Odisha is the first State in the country to launch the initiative despite having a low total fertility rate (TFR). 

The TFR explained as the average number of children borne by a woman over her lifetime stands at 1.8 in Odisha against the national average of two.