PATNA: It is estimated that Bihar 's population may touch 9.3 crore in the next census in 2011, about one crore more than that was registered in the 2001 census. In the last census, the population growth rate was 28.43%.

Expressing concern over this growth, an organisation "War against Indian Population Explosion (WIPE)," has suggested to the state government to declare two years as "no birth" years. According to WIPE, 25 lakh children are born in the state every year.

However, the infant mortality rate in Bihar is higher than the national average as one in 16 children die within the first year of life and one in 12 children die before reaching age of five, according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

WIPE president Dr Gopal Prasad Sinha and secretary Dr Ajay Kumar submitted a report and action plan to state health minister and health secretary at a camp at Bihta which recommended an incentive of Rs 5,000 to each couple who observe birth control. They calculated it would entail a cost of Rs 250 crore in two years.

"It will be a most effective measure to check the population explosion," said Dr Kumar and added this formula has been experimented in certain parts of Maharashtra which has yielded encouraging results.

Health minister Nand Kishore Yadav, however, apprehended it would not be practical. "The first and foremost thing is to create a social awareness about birth control," he told TOI on Saturday and added a population control body has been constituted under chief minister Nitish Kumar which is working out a plan to stablize the population.

"Birth control is not the job of only the health department. Hence, many more departments are being drafted in the action plan," Yadav said. He said sometimes back a retired IAS officer of Tamil Nadu T V Anthony met the CM and suggested to launch the family planning as a campaign and influence the mind of the people without coercion.

Nitish is believed to have directed the health department to plan this campaign on a largescale and also involve HRD department and take cooperation of NGOs working in health sector to shoulder the responsibility of taking this campaign to the masses.

Nitish said, "If the existing rate of population increase is not checked, our efforts on all fronts will go waste and no scheme will remain viable."

According to NFHS, fertility in Bihar is the highest in the country as a woman here has 1.3 children more in her lifetime than women in other states. On an average, fertility is four children per woman. Also, early marriage prevails as 69% women and 43% men get married before the legal minimum age of 18 and 21 respectively. The use of contraceptive in the state is also lower compared to other states.