Public awareness on family planning schemes needed: Azad

New Delhi, July 11 (ANI): Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said information about family planning schemes should be widely highlighted so as to reach at grass root level of the society for the population control.

Speaking at a function in the national capital to commemorate the 'World Population Day', Azad said: "Even countries like Australia, United States and the Middle East where people went in search of employment are turning Indians back to secure jobs for their own people."

Azad said that the fast growing population of India was putting tremendous pressure on the depleting natural resources.

The rate of development of resources in India was far less than the spurt in population, he said asking the media, bureaucracy and the civil society to create more awareness among the rural masses.

"The fight in the future and at present is between the haves and the have nots. The Naxalite movement is a result of this," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Azad said lack of recreational activities has resulted in population increase in rural regions. He said efforts were being made to make electricity available in every village and if that became possible, villagers can engage in recreational activities like watching television.

"Now efforts are being made to make available electricity in every village. When electricity reaches to every village, villagers will be able to watch television. The main benefit of watching television will be that people will be engrossed with programmes till late evening, 12:00 pm or 1.00 am and will sleep. This way they won't get time to produce children," said Azad.

Azad also favoured late marriages to curb population growth. Presently, the legal age for males to get married is 21 years and for females it is 18. He suggested youngsters to marry around 30 years of age. (ANI)