Following massive protests over the death of 13 women who underwent the sterilization procedure of

tubectomy in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh last November, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
has written to all States reminding them that every person should be counselled about the different
family planning options available. The letter completely contradicts the union governments intent of
achieving population stabilization almost exclusively through sterilization. In a letter sent in October
2014 to 11 high-focus State, the Ministry had noted that the 2020 family planning goals had
underlined the importance of sterilization surgeries in these States. Even the recently release draft
National Health Policy 2015 highlights the challenge of population stabilization in the six 11 state. In
order to achive the