The government has decided to achieve a decrease of 0.5 to 0.7 percent annually through proper planning and effective implementation of population welfare programme, she told a meeting of the officials of population welfare department here on Sunday.
She said that decline in population growth is due to public awareness, increase in literacy rate of women and collective efforts of NGOs and population welfare department.
She informed the meeting that under government's population policy 2002 great emphasis has been laid on the close collaboration of government departments, NGOs and donor agencies.
The rapid growth in population leaves a negative impact on the pace of progress and development of any country besides affecting the living standard of people, she viewed.
In view of above facts, efforts are being made to create awareness among masses about the benefits of small family, the minister said. She said: "next five years are very important with regard to the implementation of population welfare programme and it is hoped that we would be able achieve our target by the year 2020."
This target could be achieved even earlier through proper publicity of the programme, she opined.