Family Planning Under the Emergency

The policy of incentives and disincentives which constituted an important part of the new population policy of the government of India announced in April 1976 was according to the findings of this book-length study a prime example of nonpolicy. The policys most important limitation was its lack of basis in serious examination of the motivations and preparedness of the people and the administrative machinery. No intensive and indepth analysis of the factors affecting policy measures was performed before implementation. The factor of peoples motivation was least understood for the incentives were perceived as force by the population and hence were counterproductive. Certain of the policy measures however such as freezing of peoples representation in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures on the basis of the 1971 census until 2001 did make for a sizeable impact on state governments whereas the incentives and disincentives had no effect on civil servants. For instance the incentive of additional financial reward was based on the assumption that it would lead to acceptance of sterilization. (This was not borne out in peoples responses.) Overall the plan failed because it promoted hostility among implementers citizens and government rather than creating a popular positive response

Actuarial science · Business · Economics · Incentive · Microeconomics · Public economics · Global Maternal and Child Health · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Social and Economic Development in India