Increasing Population : Boon or Bane

INCREASING POPULATION

In today's world, we are witnessing a rapid surge in population across various regions. This sudden increase in the number of people residing in a community is commonly referred to as a population explosion. Over the past two to three centuries, the global population has experienced a tremendous growth. Projections indicate that the human population will increase by 1 billion within the next decade. This population explosion primarily stems from a rise in birth rates, a decrease in infant mortality, and an increase in life expectancy.Today world population cross 8 billion people.

Opinions about the population explosion are divided. While some view it as a pressing problem, others see it as a massive opportunity for a nation to achieve its ambitions. It can be said that population growth can be a blessing, but when it exerts excessive pressure on resources, it turns into a bane.

Status of Population in India

According to the latest United Nations Population Fund data, India's population in 2023 stands at 142.86 crore, overtaking China's 142.57 crore, making India the most populous country in the world. The top five countries in terms of population, in decreasing order, are India, China, the US, Indonesia, and Pakistan, as stated in the UNFPA report. Additionally, China ranks third in terms of area, while India ranks seventh globally.

In terms of area, China is the third largest country and India is the seventh largest in the world.

Reasons for Population Explosion

Population growth and its intricacies are multidimensional, leading scholars from various fields such as Geography, Economics, and Anthropology to propose numerous reasons for India's rapid population growth.

Social Causes:

High illiteracy and lack of rational thinking among people contribute to the high birth rate. The conservative approach of some communities towards family planning methods also plays a role. Compared to developed countries, girls in India marry at a younger age, which further influences population growth. Moreover, societal emphasis on agriculture, prevalence of joint families, and a significant rural population also contribute to the phenomenon.

Economic Causes:

Widespread poverty is one of the major reasons for population increase. Poor people often view children as assets for their future security. Additionally, the lack of social security in India leads many communities to consider children as insurance. The high infant mortality rate also drives parents to have more children.

Political Causes:

India's democratic polity often sees political leaders as patrons of their communities. As leaders are elected based on majority votes, they may discourage population control measures. Unlike in other developed countries where population control is citizen-driven and government-supported, India's approach differs.

Geographical Causes:

With around 50% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture, children are viewed as essential helpers in labor-intensive agricultural practices.

Effects of Population Explosion

• The population explosion has given rise to various issues, including a low rate of capital formation due to a high dependency ratio, low standard of living, increased poverty, and lower labor productivity. Some notable effects include:
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• Social consequences leading to migration from rural to urban areas, causing the growth of slum areas and resulting in unhygienic living conditions and diseases.
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• Overcrowding, traffic congestion, accidents, and pollution in big cities due to migration.
• High birth rate leading to health hazards for mothers in reproductive age.
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• Environmental degradation due to increased pressure on land and the use of synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides.
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• Increased demand for housing and transportation putting pressure on limited natural resources and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Population Growth as Boon

• A larger population provides a greater workforce that can contribute to the country's prosperity if utilized efficiently in different sectors.
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• India's young population with an average age of 25-26 can boost economic growth.
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• A larger population means more consumers, leading to competition and lower prices for goods.
• Population explosion can also result in a diverse pool of talented individuals in various fields, benefitting the country if resources are invested in their development.
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• An increase in working-age population reduces the dependency ratio, leading to economic prosperity in the long run.
  
  
  

Population Growth as Bane

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• The increase in population puts pressure on resources, leading to shortages in land, jobs, capital, housing, and health services.
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• Overpopulation has led to the overexploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation.
• Meeting the demands of the growing population poses challenges in building adequate infrastructure for basic necessities like health, education, and water.
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• Despite increased agricultural production, malnutrition still persists in some parts of the country.
• Overpopulation is directly linked to poverty, unemployment, and a decrease in per-capita income and standard of living.

Conclusion

While population growth offers developmental opportunities, it also strains available resources, resulting in a decline in the overall quality of life. An undernourished, poverty-stricken, and unhealthy society with a large population is inferior to a smaller but healthy, educated, economically secure, and employed society. To secure a better future for the upcoming generations, we must consciously curb further population increase. Highlighting the importance of population control, the Prime Minister, in his Independence Day Speech of 2019, equated family planning to another form of patriotism. Therefore, family planning should be embraced as another 'Jan Andolan' by the citizens to realize the dream of making India a global superpower.