A mass wedding in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh grabbed headlines after condoms and contraceptive pills were found inside make-up boxes given to brides as gifts. Media reports have mentioned that the ceremony took place in Jhabua district on Monday.&nbsp;

As many as 296 couples tied the knot at the mass wedding organised under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana. The scheme is basically for women who come from economically weaker sections.&nbsp;

When the controversy because of these items in the gift pack started snowballing, a senior district official Bhursingh Rawat laid the blame on the state health department.&nbsp;

As quoted by the Indian Express report, Rawat said that the health officials might have planned providing condoms and contraceptives to the new couples to raise awareness regarding family planning.

Rawat told The Indian Express: "We are not responsible for distributing condoms and contraceptive pills. There is no provision in the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah for the provision of such a kit."&nbsp;

"We have told the local administration officials to keep a check on this in future and conduct a door-to-door campaign instead of distributing condoms at the mass weddings. This is a tribal area with a low literacy rate. People don’t have a lot of scientific temperament, so keeping that in view we will make sure this doesn’t happen again," he added.&nbsp;

The news outlet quoted Dr Ashok Patel, a district family and welfare officer, as saying: "There was confusion at the event. We saw over 200 newlyweds at one place and thought we could target them. We had over 200 of our own health workers who educated them on the kit."&nbsp;

"But some people could not understand… there were couples who thought this was a part of dowry… It would take us over one month to track them all down and distribute these kits,” Patel added, divulging details about the 'Nai pahal' kit, which is provided to newly married couples by the local ASHA workers.

<h2>Was it a well-intended move?&nbsp;</h2>

UN's World Population Prospects 2022 had projected India to surpass China as the world's most populous country in the mid of 2023 and the nation will have now more population than China. UN report estimated that India's population is 1.4286 billion while China's stood at 1.4257 billion.&nbsp;

While the population also generates infinite possibilities, experts have called for reforms and policies to control the growth in order to provide a better quality of life to all individuals and sustainable development.&nbsp;

And such a move, aimed at spreading awareness shouldn't become an issue.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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A mass wedding in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh grabbed headlines after condoms and contraceptive pills were found inside make-up boxes given to brides as gifts.

A mass wedding in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh grabbed headlines after condoms and contraceptive pills were found inside make-up boxes given to brides as gifts. Media reports have mentioned that the ceremony took place in Jhabua district on Monday. As many as 296 couples tied the knot at the mass wedding organised under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana. The scheme is basically for women who come from economically weaker sections. When the controversy because of these items in the gift pack started snowballing, a senior district official Bhursingh Rawat laid the blame on the state health department. As quoted by the Indian Express report, Rawat said that the health officials might have planned providing condoms and contraceptives to the new couples to raise awareness regarding family planning. Rawat told The Indian Express: "We are not responsible for distributing condoms and contraceptive pills. There is no provision in the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah for the provision of such a kit." "We have told the local administration officials to keep a check on this in future and conduct a door-to-door campaign instead of distributing condoms at the mass weddings. This is a tribal area with a low literacy rate. People don’t have a lot of scientific temperament, so keeping that in view we will make sure this doesn’t happen again," he added. The news outlet quoted Dr Ashok Patel, a district family and welfare officer, as saying: "There was confusion at the event. We saw over 200 newlyweds at one place and thought we could target them. We had over 200 of our own health workers who educated them on the kit." "But some people could not understand… there were couples who thought this was a part of dowry… It would take us over one month to track them all down and distribute these kits,” Patel added, divulging details about the 'Nai pahal' kit, which is provided to newly married couples by the local ASHA workers. Was it a well-intended move? UN's World Population Prospects 2022 had projected India to surpass China as the world's most populous country in the mid of 2023 and the nation will have now more population than China. UN report estimated that India's population is 1.4286 billion while China's stood at 1.4257 billion. While the population also generates infinite possibilities, experts have called for reforms and policies to control the growth in order to provide a better quality of life to all individuals and sustainable development. And such a move, aimed at spreading awareness shouldn't become an issue. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Madhya Pradesh: Condoms, birth control pills part of ‘vanity kit’ at mass wedding event

After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government stated that it was satisfied with the investigations carried out in connection with the Vyapam scam, Congress MLA Kunal Chaudhary has said he will push for a white paper to be issued in the matter.

"I had raised an issue in the Madhya Pradesh assembly that a white paper be issued, in connection with Vyapam scam. I will talk to the state`s home minister and the chief minister that action should be taken and everything should be clarified. People should get to know how they were cheated," Chaudhary told ANI on Tuesday.

The Congress MLA said that he was dissatisfied with the fact that discussions were not held in the state Assembly due to the adjournment of the House.

On the other hand, media-in-charge of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Lokendra Parashar said that the former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government had already proven that there was no scam and added that the results of the SIT could not be politically influenced.&nbsp;

"The Congress is used to lying when they were in the opposition they used to falsely rake up the issue of Vyapam scam. They (Congress) should now tell the people that the Shivraj Singh government had already settled the matter by forming an SIT in the matter," Parashar told.

"Any investigation should not be influenced politically. The results of the SIT cannot be moulded to suit an MLA`s interests," he added.&nbsp;

The alleged Vyapam scam was an entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in Madhya Pradesh in 2013. It involved 13 different exams conducted by Vyapam, for selection of medical students and state government employees.

After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government stated that it was satisfied with the investigations carried out in connection with the Vyapam scam, Congress MLA Kunal Chaudhary has said he will push for a white paper to be issued in the matter.

After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government stated that it was satisfied with the investigations carried out in connection with the Vyapam scam, Congress MLA Kunal Chaudhary has said he will push for a white paper to be issued in the matter. "I had raised an issue in the Madhya Pradesh assembly that a white paper be issued, in connection with Vyapam scam. I will talk to the state`s home minister and the chief minister that action should be taken and everything should be clarified. People should get to know how they were cheated," Chaudhary told ANI on Tuesday. The Congress MLA said that he was dissatisfied with the fact that discussions were not held in the state Assembly due to the adjournment of the House. On the other hand, media-in-charge of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Lokendra Parashar said that the former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government had already proven that there was no scam and added that the results of the SIT could not be politically influenced. "The Congress is used to lying when they were in the opposition they used to falsely rake up the issue of Vyapam scam. They (Congress) should now tell the people that the Shivraj Singh government had already settled the matter by forming an SIT in the matter," Parashar told. "Any investigation should not be influenced politically. The results of the SIT cannot be moulded to suit an MLA`s interests," he added. The alleged Vyapam scam was an entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in Madhya Pradesh in 2013. It involved 13 different exams conducted by Vyapam, for selection of medical students and state government employees.

Congress MLA to seek white paper from Madhya Pradesh govt on Vyapam scam 

Madhya Pradesh government has announced that from now onwards, it is mandatory for the school students in the state to answer their roll-call with "Jai Hind".

The education department stated that this step will instil a sense of patriotism among the students, read an official statement.

Earlier in November 2017, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Vijay Shah said now students would answer to roll-calls by saying "Jai Hind" instead of "yes sir" and "yes ma'am".

He had said that the step would be enforced in all 1.22 lakh government schools, and an advisory in this regard would also be issued to all private schools.

The education department stated that this step will instil a sense of patriotism among the students, read an official statement

Madhya Pradesh government has announced that from now onwards, it is mandatory for the school students in the state to answer their roll-call with "Jai Hind". The education department stated that this step will instil a sense of patriotism among the students, read an official statement. Earlier in November 2017, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Vijay Shah said now students would answer to roll-calls by saying "Jai Hind" instead of "yes sir" and "yes ma'am". He had said that the step would be enforced in all 1.22 lakh government schools, and an advisory in this regard would also be issued to all private schools.

Madhya Pradesh: Mandatory for students to answer roll call with 'Jai Hind'