POPULATION EXPLOSION IN INDIA
India is the second most populated country in the world after China. Its population has been steadily increasing since 1921. Having crossed the mark of 121.02 crores in 2011 A.D., India’s population is currently increasing at the rate of 18.15 million each year, and its annual growth rate is 1.76 % as per 2011 census report. The population of India is projected close to 1.37 billion in 2019, compared to 1.354 billion in 2018. The population growth rate for 2019 is projected at 1.08%.
increased birth rate,
decreased infant mortality rate, and
improved life expectancy.
Population explosion is more prominent in underdeveloped and developing countries than in developed countries. Population explosion mainly refers to the surge in population post-World War II. However, in the context of India, it refers to the rapid increase in population in the post-Independent era.
Though population explosion is a major problem faced by several other countries too, with the world population estimated to reach 7 billion by the beginning of the 21st century, the problem is much more severe in India because of the increasing pressure on the limited resources of the country. With the growth of food grains not keeping pace with the increase in population during some years because of the unfavourable weather conditions, the specter of hunger hunts millions of households in the country.
Even when the country is fortunate enough to have a bumper crop, these hungry households do not have the economic strength or purchasing power to buy the required food grains. The phenomenal population growth exerts immense pressure on other basic necessities like education, health, housing, clothing, employment opportunities, etc.
With employment opportunities in the rural areas becoming scarce, the population explosion is resulting in increased migration of rural poor to the urban areas in search of jobs. The increasing pressure on the urban areas is giving rise to more number of slums, and this is multiplying the problems in the urban areas as health is the first casualty in slums.
To check the ill effects of population growth on the socio-economic front, the Indian government launched the Family Planning Programme in 1951. This was later rechristened as the Family Welfare Programme. This programme promotes on a voluntary basis, responsible Planned Parenthood through the independent choice of family planning methods best suited to the people.
Though the Family Welfare Programme has resulted in significant deaths and infant mortality declines besides almost doubling life expectancy, a lot more needs to be done if the population explosion is to be effectively checked. For this, we have to improve the literacy rate, female education and the socio-economic status of the families, as population growth is directly linked to these factors. The fact that Kerala could make a lot of progress in checking population growth testifies to the impact of literacy on population explosion.
The government should also intensify its efforts to educate the people on the adverse effects of population explosion. The population explosion can be effectively checked only when the people are inclined towards smaller families. With an increasing literacy rate and improved socio-economic status, the people can be educated to adopt a favorable attitude towards smaller families. When this happens, the population explosion can be checked.
Causes of Population Growth:
After 1951, the growth of population is explained by a decline in mortality due to availability of curative and preventive medicines, control of famines and epidemics, reduction of wars, and a large base population. The following important causes for the rapid growth of population are:
Peaceful Conditions:
For nearly a century (1860-1960), India enjoyed comparative peace without involving herself in major inter-conflicts or wars, especially after the establishment of British Rule. Peaceful conditions provided an impetus for over-population.
Excess of Birth over Death:
The growth of the population depends on the excess of births over deaths. Birth rate means the number of children born per thousand of living population; similarly, the death rate in India is very high. According to the 2011 census, the birth rate in India declined from 36 per 1,000 in 1981 to 30.5 in 1991 and then to 26 in 2001, and finally to 22.22 in 2011, while the death rate declined from 13.8 per 1,000 in 1981 to 9.4 in 1991 and then to 8 in 2001 and finally to 6.4 in 2011.
Progress in Medical Knowledge and its application has considerably reduced the death rate. It has helped us control the spread of diseases like Malaria, T.B., Cholera, Plague, Influenza, Smallpox, etc., and protecting people's lives from the Jaws of death. Positively, it has contributed to a greater population because those persons saved from death also produced children to add to the existing numbers.
Improvement in Transport Facilities has helped people avail of medical and health facilities without difficulty. These have saved countless lives and added to the size of the population.
Improvements in the field of Agriculture and Industry also contributed to an increase in population. Uncertainties in the field of agriculture have largely been removed with the help of science and technology. Food production has considerably increased. Industries have been providing employment opportunities to thousands of persons. These developments have given people the confidence that they can afford to feed more people if they beget.
Certain Social Factors like Universal Marriage, Child Marriage, and Early Marriage have also contributed to the problem. India considers marriage a social obligation and almost all marriageable persons are in a married state. Life-long bachelorship is looked down upon. Particularly for women, marriage is almost an inescapable obligation. Further, the number of children born per couple is also large.
Social Attitudes of Indians also favour an increase in population. Poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, absence of recreational facilities, attitudes of conservatism, orthodoxy, feeling of dependence on God, a sense of resignation towards life, looking upon children as the old age pension, etc., are all responsible for the rapid growth of population.
Lack of conscious family planning:
There is a lack of conscious family planning on the part of married people. The use of contraceptives is unknown to the illiterate masses. People feel that more children are wanted for economic purposes. Further, blind faith in face and the existence of a joint family system induce thoughtlessness in begetting children.
The Climatic conditions of India are also very conducive to the growth of population. The tropical climate stimulates sex urges. Montesquieu said that people of warm land are more sex-indulgent. Further, girls become physically mature at an early age ranging from 11 to 15 years of age. Immediately after puberty, they are pushed into marriage and they begin to bear children. The child-bearing capacity of women lasts in tropical places.
Added to this, during the earlier days, the Government did not take much interest in introducing family planning to slow down the rapid growth of population. Though the family planning programme was started under the Five Year Planning system, proper attention was not given to popularizing it in the beginning. People also failed to recognize its importance. The result is the phenomenal growth of population.
Lack of Entertainment Facilities:
It has been observed that people, especially in the rural areas, have been forced to find entertainment in the sex-play in the absence of proper entertainment facilities. This has further aggravated the problem.
Producing more children by the poor people illustrates the paradox of population-poverty interrelationship. Poverty is both the cause and effect of population growth. Having produced many children (sons) to combat one’s family’s growing needs, the parents are forced to keep them out of school to supplement their household income.
In turn, unlettered and ignorant children will inherit their father’s lot and, like him, opt to have as many sons as are needed to work for sustenance. Ironically, huge family size is the poor man’s only way to combat poverty caused by the population boom.
Measures for Controlling the Rapid Growth of Population
Overpopulation is, indeed, a serious socio-economic problem in India. This problem has adversely affected the economy's progress and the people's standard of living. The problem is an urgent one and needs an immediate solution.
The problem of overpopulation is to be tackled immediately. There is an absolute need to contain the rapid growth of population. If this growth is not checked, it will adversely affect the various aspects of our economy. It brings down per capita, and national income brings down standard of living of the people. It becomes difficult to face the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and underemployment. The people's basic needs cannot be met, and political unrest and immorality cannot be efficiently dealt with.
Overpopulation is related to the size of the population and the utilization of the country's resources. The problem should be tackled from both sides. Firstly, production should be increased to meet the needs of the people. Secondly, the size of the population should be controlled and reduced.
Measure to Increase Production:
The growing population of the country can be supported through increased production. Agricultural and industrial productions are to be increased for this purpose.
Increase in Agricultural Production:
It is necessary to resort to modern scientific cultivation in order to increase agricultural output. Use of irrigation, high-yielding seeds, rotation of crops, utilization of chemicals, fertilizers, manures, and such other means are to be adopted for this purpose. Production should keep pace with the increasing population, if possible, should outstrip it.
Increase in Industrial Production:
The process of industrialization is to be accelerated. Modern, sophisticated technology must be made use of for industrial production. The industrial strategy should be such that it should be able to increase production and at the same time provide job facilities to a sizeable number of people. Industries are to be established in different places by making use of the locally available raw materials and human resources.
Development of Trade and Commerce:
The development of trade and commerce will contribute to additional income and help the country to support the growing population.
Measures to Control and Reduce Population:
The problem of overpopulation can be effectively dealt with only if the rapid growth rate of population is contained. Various measures are to be undertaken in this regard.
Family Planning Measures:
Family planning is nowadays considered an indispensable method of controlling population. The motto of family planning is “child by choice and not by chance” or “child by desire not by accident.” The size of the family must be limited voluntarily. It can be done in two ways:
Birth control methods include:
Use of rubber contraceptives by males, use of pills by females, use of loops by females, sterilization for both males and females (that is, vasectomy for males and tubectomy for females), abortion, i.e., medical termination of pregnancy.
Other family planning methods include:
The practice of celibacy (that is, practicing brahmacharya or self-restraint), postponement of marriage (or resorting to late marriage), observance of moral or self-restraint.
Providing Education Facility to the People:
Illiteracy is one of the factors of overpopulation. It is to be countered in order to contain the population growth. The spread of education among illiterate masses is a significant step in reducing the birth rate. People must be educated regarding the benefits of a small family and late marriage. Education helps to increase the earning capacity of males and females. It improves the status of women; it creates awareness regarding family planning.
Rise in the Age of Marriage:
In order to reduce the childbearing period of women (reproductive span of women), it is necessary to raise the minimum age of marriage from 18 to 20 for females and from 21 to 24 for males. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 should be strictly prohibited in every part of India.
Improving Status of Women:
Experience in the West has shown that the high status of women is closely associated with a low birth rate. The desire to rise on the social scale develops a strong feeling for a smaller family. The educated, employed urban women exhibit a desire for a small family. Efforts must be made to impress upon the rural women to go in the direction of a small family.
Propaganda in Favour of Small Family:
Enough publicity is to be given in a country like India regarding the benefits of a small family to the general masses. Mass media of communication like the press, radio, television and movies are of great help in this regard.
Provision of Incentives:
Incentives such as cash payments and promotion in jobs, free education, preference in admission to technical courses, etc., could be given to the people who accept and adopt family planning.
Increasing the Standard of Living of the Masses:
People with a higher standard of living normally opt for small families. Hence, it is necessary to increase the masses' standard of living.
Providing Enough Recreational Facilities:
It has been observed that the lack of sufficient recreational facilities has often contributed to the problem of overpopulation. People must be provided with sufficient recreational facilities to relax and refresh. This will prevent them from resorting to sex play whenever they feel like refreshing themselves.
Internal Migration:
Unequal population distribution in different parts of the nation can be dealt with if internal migration is allowed; it means people must be encouraged to move from densely populated areas toward thinly populated areas. This is not, however, easy. As Adam Smith observes, “Of all sorts of luggage, man is the most difficult to be transported.”
Provision of Social Security:
In the absence of comprehensive social security (especially in old age, sickness, unemployment, and accident), people have tended to depend on large families for security. The poor, in particular, consider children as their wealth. It is necessary to introduce various social insurance and social security schemes to help the poor develop the confidence to face the future.
Reduction in Infant Mortality:
By resorting to suitable medical steps, the infant mortality rate is to be reduced. If it is reduced, parents will feel that their children will survive and live long.
Changes in the Tax Structure:
Dr. S. Chandrashekhar, a noted Indian demographer, is of the opinion that by introducing a change in the taxation policy, especially that of income tax, the problem can be reduced a little. Instead of giving concessions to married people with more children, he has suggested, it is better to give such concessions to the unmarried and couples without children or with only one child.
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