To obtain information from rural women regarding their contraceptive knowledge, practices and utilization of services, a cross-sectional survey of 117,465 eligible women was carried out in the sampled areas of 28 districts from January 1996 to February 1997. From among the current contraceptive users all of IUD, OC and acceptors of a permanent method in the last one-year (14,276) were interviewed in detailed. In addition a systematically selected sample of 17,082 non users were also interviewed. Overall contraceptive prevalence was 45.2% of which 34.2% had used a permanent method. Among the current users, the contraceptive had been availed mainly from either PHC (31.5%) or hospital (42.1%). Around half the women (53.1%) had received counseling and in 20.3% information regarding other methods. Pelvic examination was done in 39.1% Most of the women (>97%) expressed satisfaction with the method, provider and services. Almost all the women (98.8%) were using a contraceptive method with the knowledge of their husband and had his support for continuing the same. There was no concept of using any family planning method for either postponing the first conception after marriage or spacing between the two child births. A large majority of women (70.5%) used a family planning method for the first time only after completing their desired family size. Among the never users, 73.5% mentioned at least one modern method of family planning available in the national programme and 64.3% mentioned the service source where it would be available. Fewer women in most of the districts mentioned spacing methods as compared to female sterilization. The main reason given for not using any family planning method was "family not complete" (34.6%). There is need to promote spacing methods by policy makers and field workers and motivate couples to accept them.