New population policy for Bihar

Patna, Jan 14 (PTI) Bihar would have a new populationpolicy which is being framed in collaboration with UnitedNations Population Fund.

"The new population policy will come into being by March31, 2011," state health department sources said.

The new policy would be presented in the statelegislature for passage for implementation, the sources said.

Through the policy, the government would try to reducethe total fertility rate, which is 3.9 in Bihar and is thehighest in the country.

The new policy is being framed to meet the nationalhealth parameters and would propose stablization of populationthrough behavioural changes, without which realising its aimwould not be possible, they said.

The most alarming aspect of the population problem isthat 60 per cent of women in the state become mothers beforethe age of 20, the sources added.