New Delhi: The central government has constituted a ten-member task force, headed by Jaya Jaitly to examine matters pertaining to the age of motherhood, imperatives of lowering MMR (mother mortality ratio), improvement of nutritional levels, and related issues.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had during her budget speech for 2020-21 proposed to appoint the task force to review the minimum age of marriage for women, study its implications on maternal health and submit its recommendations within six months.
The finance minister had said, "Women’s age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929.As India progresses further, opportunities open up for women to pursue higher education and careers. "
"There are imperatives of lowering MMR as well as the improvement of nutrition levels. The entire issue about the age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light. I propose to appoint a task force that will present its recommendations in six months,"she said.
On the formation of the task force, Union minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said,” Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ministry of Women and Child Development has formed the task force. I am sure recommendations of task force based on imperatives of lowering MMR, improvement of nutritional levels and increasing higher education opportunities, will greatly help in policy-making for overall well being of young girls.”
The task force will be working on suggesting possible measures for promoting higher education in women and examine the correlation of age of marriage and motherhood with health, medical well-being and nutritional status of mother and neonate/infant/child, during pregnancy, birth and thereafter, key parameters like Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), Child Sex Ratio (CSR), etc. and any other relevant points pertaining to health and nutrition in this context.
The Task Force will also work out a detailed roll-out plan with timelines to implement its recommendations.
The MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births during the same time period and as per available UNICEF data the MMR has declined. From 2000 to 2017, the global MMR has declined by 38 % – from 342 deaths to 211 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UN inter-agency estimates.
The data released by Niti Aayog also confirms a decline in MMR in India. As per records, MMR was 254 in 2004-2006 and was 130 in 2014-2016.
The Task Force will submit its report by 31st July 2020. Other members in the team are Member (health) Niti Aayog Dr. V K Paul, secretaries of higher education, school education, health, women and child development, legislative department apart from academicians Najma Akhtar, Vasudha Kamat and Dipti Shah.
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