For the year 1993 (latest available) Registrar General of India reports a death rate of 9 per 1000 population. World Bank (1993, p.290) reports the same figure as a death rate for the countries that the Bank classifies as high income economies (HIEs).

THERE is enough evidence to show that often, development policies adopted by governments have widened the disparities amongst sections of people.

Every society has its own traditional beliefs and practices related to health care. Beliefs in supernatural powers, i.e.

Governmental efforts towards fertility reduction often face a dilemma: babies who are planners' worry are also a parent's hope and joy (Mandelbaum 1974:110). The beliefs of the people on this subject and what planners believe ought to be done may on occasion diverge substantially.

Medical and public health experts advocate breastfeeding as the best method of feeding young infants for a wide variety of reasons.

DURING the Earth Summit, 1992 held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the attempt by the countries of the north to blame population, as the main culprit of environmental degradation was not successful.

The health status of women is a reflection of their social status. In order to get a clear picture of the health status of Indian women, we need to have reliable data on mortality, morbidity, nutritional status, problems related to reproduction, access to and utilization of services, etc.

We live in an era of paradoxes and contradictions - the reality was never so multifaceted, the issues never so complex. Everything around us seems to be melting and unfortunately the new forms acquired by the congealing of the molten mass leaves us little to rejoice at.

Population policy is, and has always been, contentious. For the last two years, the debate on population related issues-both nationally and internationally-has been difficult and sometimes acrimonious.

India has been the first country in the world to have a national family planning programme.