what-is-india-doing-to-control-its-population

The world's population has seen significant growth in recent centuries, with the expectation that reaching 1 billion people would take hundreds of thousands of years. However, within just 200 years, the population expanded to seven times that size.

 

By 2011, the global population had reached 7 billion, and UN projections suggest that it will increase to about 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.9 billion by 2100.

The current population of India is 1,442,017,450 as of Wednesday, July 10, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

 

Mainly due to increased life expectancy, changes in fertility rates, urbanisation, and migration, these factors are likely to have far-reaching implications for future generations, affecting economic development, employment, income distribution, poverty, and social welfare.

 

India's population has surpassed that of China's, making it the world's most populous country, as reported by the UNFPA's State of the World Population Report in 2023. This shift occurred due to 11.1 million deaths and 9 million births in China, marking the second consecutive year of population decline.

 

The UNFPA report suggests that if India's population continues to grow at its current rate of just under one per cent per year, it will double in the next 75 years. Experts predict that India's large population is a result of "population momentum" from previous decades and anticipate that the country's population will likely start to decrease around 2050.

 

This pattern is also expected to be seen in the global population, which currently stands slightly above 8 billion. However, it is projected that both India's and the world's populations will stabilise well before then.

 

Addressing population growth amid declining fertility rates

 

In 2022, a minister in the northeast Indian state of Nagaland called on Indians to contribute to a sustainable future by refusing to have children and joining his self-declared “singles movement.” “Let us be sensible towards the issues of population growth,”  Temjen Imna Along tweeted, “or #StaySingle like me.” Meanwhile, growing numbers of Indian millennials are deciding against having children for environmental reasons. 

 

In Indian culture, the concept of deliberately choosing not to have children is still difficult for most individuals to comprehend. However, it represents an increasing awareness among Indians regarding the challenges associated with their country's status as the world's most populous nation.

 

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that a large population obstructed India’s development. “We have to think about whether we can do justice to the aspirations of our children,” he said. “There is a need for greater discussion and awareness on population explosion.”

 

Multiple Indian states, such as Uttar Pradesh and Assam, are evaluating the implementation of a contentious two-child policy and offering incentives for sterilization in order to regulate population growth.

 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed concern that increasing population growth and demographic shifts are challenging the 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) goal. 

 

During the interim budget session in February 2024, she announced the establishment of a high-powered committee to thoroughly examine these challenges and provide recommendations.

 

In her interim budget speech, Sitharaman suggested forming a high-power committee to extensively address the issues related to rapid population growth and demographic changes.

 

In 2022, Rakesh Sinha, a BJP MP, presented the Population Regulation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was later withdrawn following intervention from Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

 

Sinha aimed to implement a two-child policy with penalties for non-compliance.

 

India's fertility rate has significantly decreased in recent years, dropping from 5.7 births per woman in 1950 to two births per woman today, although the decline has been slow.

 

Based on data from India's decennial census and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the Pew Research Centre indicates that fertility rates for all religious groups in India have decreased considerably.

 

Consequently, the religious composition of the population has seen only minimal changes since 1951.

 

Official data shows that fertility rates have decreased across all religious groups.

 

The decrease in birth rates has been more rapid in southern India compared to the more densely populated north.

 

Measures taken by the government

 

While the country is still short of an official policy to address its population explosion and a consequential burden on the country's resources, several measures have been taken by the government to educate the masses about population control and increase the use of contraceptives.

 

Expanded Contraceptive Choices: The assortment of current contraceptives, such as condoms, combined oral contraceptive pills, emergency contraceptive pills, intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD), and sterilisation, will be broadened to encompass new contraceptives, including Injectable contraceptive MPA (Antara Programme) and Centchroman (Chhaya).

 

Mission Parivar Vikas is being implemented in thirteen states to increase access to contraceptives and family planning services substantially.

 

Compensation scheme for sterilisation acceptors, which provides compensation for loss of wages to the beneficiaries for sterilisation.

 

Beneficiaries are given contraceptive methods after pregnancy, such as Postpartum Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PPIUCD), Post-Abortion Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PAIUCD), and Postpartum Sterilization (PPS).

 

'World Population Day & Fortnight' and 'Vasectomy Fortnight' are annually observed to increase awareness about Family Planning and service delivery in all States/Union Territories.

 

ASHAs deliver contraceptives to the homes of beneficiaries under the Home Delivery of Contraceptives Scheme.

 

The Family Planning Logistics Management Information System (FP-LMIS) is established to ensure the availability of family planning supplies at all levels of health facilities.