| Abstract: | The United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI) initiated a research program in five states to find out basic facts on family composition necessary to start family planning. In 1971 it started a No Birth Scheme. Its objectives go beyond the immediate need of adopting measures to produce smaller families. It cares about the worker's family as a whole. UPASI thought that a deferred incentive was better than cash, and, if more successful than other campaigns, it could be adapted to rural areas. As a voluntary industrial association it could play a major role in developing countries since their participation in social programs depends on the degree of confidence and acceptance of the workers. The eligible women work together with the state manager and medical staff. The plantation workers come from the rural community and their way of life and habits are similar to those living in rural areas. The Scheme introduced a bonus as an obligation of the state management. Each acceptor had an account book in which she would make the proper entries, showing thus her compliance to the rules of the Scheme. There were no conditions about the contraception used and no deduction was made unless a baby was born. 90.8% of the eligible women who registered, only 5.7% were defaulters. The birth rate per 1,000 population was 40.4 in 1969/70 and 38.9 in 1970/71; 37.3 in 1971/72; 27.2 in 1972/73; 25.4 in 1973/74. The birth d ata for the most recent years is not available. 'UPASI is still a plantation industrial association, but the project staff believe that similar schemes can function in the rural areas with some organizational modifications. |
