Population stabilisation programmes will be pursued wholly on voluntary basis, the government said on Tuesday.

"Two-child norm cannot be imposed as it would be a violation of fundamental rights of the people," Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said inaugurating the 'First All India Workshop of Health Secretaries' in New Delhi.

He said goals to this effect "will be achieved without coercive measures being incorporated into the National Population Policy".

He asked the health machinery to devise new measures to involve men in the family welfare programme.

Ramadoss asked health secretaries of all the states to furnish reports on how family welfare programmes were being taken up.