Bhubaneswar: One Family Welfare Cell was inaugurated by Prasanna Acharya Minister Health & Fw today in the Office premises of Director Family Welfare Orissa.Speaking on the occasion Minister Sri Acharya told that Orissa with a population of close to 4 crores also needs to be looked at for Population Stabilization measures.

If not controlled today with adequate measures, it may lead to multiple problems relating to Population Explosion and acute Shortage Of Resources. In our state 75% of the total households depend on the health care services provided by Government System and around 80% of the total Eligible Couples use the Contraceptive Services made available through the Government System. Though our TFR (Total Fertility Rate) is relatively low (2.36) in comparison to National Average (2.7), yet our Unmet Need for Family Planning Services is unacceptably high. Statistics says that half of the total eligible couples in Orissa do not use any of the Family Planning Methods, be it Spacing Methods or Limiting Methods to curtail their Family size.

Use of proper Family Planning Services is key to addressing Population Issues in any Country. On the occasion of World Population Day-10, Government of Orissa chose to initiate measures to 'Repositioning Family Planning Programmes' in the state with focus on taking forward the Programmtic Interventions in a more comprehensive way.Sensing the need to strengthen Family Planning Programmes in Orissa, "State Family Welfare Cell' with Support from UNFPA (Global Developmental Partner for Family Planning Programme) has been established he added.

The State Family Welfare Cell is envisaged to take up Providing Techno-Managerial Supports to State Family Welfare Bureau for Effectively Implementing all Family Planning Activities.Assessing State Specific Needs, Identifying Challenges in Implementation & Developing Strategies. Improving Planning & Strengthening Programme Execution.Facilitating Capacity Building & increasing Capabilities of existing Family Planning Manpower for better Outputs/Results. Strengthening Monitoring & Evaluation of Family Planning Activities.

Among others Commissioner-Cum-Secretary H & FW Deptt Smt Anu Garg, Director of Family Welfare, Dr. Nirmal Kumar Mishra, Mission Director, NRHM Dr. Pramod Kumar Meherda and UNFPA State Head Dr. Hemant Dwivedi  along with other Senior Dignitaries of Health & Family Welfare Department were present.