The world’s most dilemma is the day by day struggle for survival and the scarcity of resources due to increase population. Over six billion people are estimated in the world population today and this increase in number cannot be prevented because of high rate of fertility and the low rate of mortality. This means that more babies are being born than people dying. India is one of the countries considered as mere contributing factors of the growing population. It is the country of high population growth and having more than one billion people.
Because of its unstoppable increase in number, many Indians are suffering in the state of poverty. Most of them are deprived and exploited. This exploitation will bring forth further devastation of the country’s resources. This immediate concern on economic condition and the depletion of resources matters on the availability of the resources, the energy consumption and production capacity. Thus, population growth is sometimes thought to be a resort of the country’s development but in the contrary, this becomes a burden to the public and to the government if not backed up by good policies and programs.
Large population means large consumer group but can also be translated to large purchasing power and large work force that is essential in an economy. In this paper, we will try to examine the current situation of the Indian population. We will also try to identify problems that surround the Indian population and take a look at the means the government of India did in order to solve perceived problems. CURRENT STATES OF AFFAIRS India has more than 1 billion people and approximately 16. 7% of the world’s population.
There are estimated 324 people in every square kilometer. In age structures: “0-14 years 31.7% (male 173,869,856; female 164,003,915); 15- 64 years, 63. 5% (male 349,785,804; female 326,289,402); 65 years and over, 4. 8% (male 25,885,725; female 25,235,905) (2004 estimate)” (http://www. iloveindia. com/population-of-india/index. html). The growth rate in population is estimated to be 1. 44% as of the year 2004. Like most countries, the birth rate in India is higher than the death rate. In every 1000 people in India, 22. 8 births and only 8. 30 deaths are reported. Furthermore, there are only 57. 92 deaths reported in every 1000 live births which is a big imbalance.
The life expectancy in India is 63.99 years for the whole population. Females are said to have higher life expectancy than men. Every woman is equated with 2. 85 children which is extremely high compared to other countries. It was also reported in India as of the year 2001 that 3. 97 million of its population is infected with the deadly HIV disease and there were already 310,000 people who died because of the said sickness. Again, poor sanitation, poor lifestyle and lack of knowledge were some of the perceived reasons in high number of HIV cases and the high number of deaths. “There are three ethnic groups in India.
Among its people, 72% are Indo-Aryan, 25% are Dravidian and 3% are Mongoloids and others” (http://www. iloveindia. com/population-of-india/index. html). Regarding its literacy rate which is defined by 15 and over years of age that can read and write, it was reported that 59. 5% is literate among the total population. Among males, literacy rate is 70. 2% and among women is 48. 3% as of 2003. The figure also implies that men is likely to have education than women. Given the reported figures above, the Republic of India is basically faced with the problem of population control.
Facing the problem of high population rate also tells us that it is also facing the problems given by high population. With this regard, the Indian Government has a very rigorous and difficult job. MEANS TO END THE POPULATION PROBLEM The burden in finding solution to India’s population explosion resides mainly on its own government. In its quest to find answers in controlling population rate increase, the government made measures to solve the problem. These measures are the ones we will discuss further in this paper. In terms of legislation, Government of India passed the Child Marriage Restraint Act in 1976.
To put muscle on the government’s quest for solution in high population increase, mandated was the “strict enforcement of Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1976” (http://populationcommission. nic. in/npp_fun. htm#prom). Child marriage was not only discouraged by the Indian government but also made it a legislation in order to emphasize its importance. There is indeed a need for the Indian government to act now in dealing with population problem. “A cash incentive of Rs. 500 is awarded to mothers who have their first child after 19 years of age, for birth of the first or second child only” (http://populationcommission.
nic. in/npp_fun. htm#prom). The Indian government is indeed serious in their quest to halt population high rate increase. They even spend money for rewards to people who does not get pregnant in an early age. Facilities for safe abortion were also strengthened in India to further address population growth. This is quiet unconventional but practical means in order to fight high population growth which has been a very hard enemy. High population results to high poverty rate in most cases such as in India.
The Indian government is not only facing population problem but also the status of many Indians living below poverty line. Many of these Indians below poverty line do not also have the benefit of what a person coming from a rich family will experience in terms of health care and education. To address this problem, the Indian government also made measures in addressing health care “couples below the poverty line, who undergo sterilization with not more than two living children, would become eligible (along with children) for health insurance (for hospitalization) not exceeding Rs.
5000, and a personal accident insurance cover for the spouse undergoing sterilization. ” Making a person infertile is also part of the huge campaign against population high increase level in the Republic of India. To also address the problem of poverty, the government of India “increased vocational training schemes for girls leading to self-employment will be encouraged” (http://populationcommission. nic. in/npp_fun. htm#prom). To be employed is very much needed and it is of big help to people living below the poverty line especially when they are raising children.
Beyond being employed, it is also the aim of trainings to empower women in terms of their capacity and role in the society which is a very important aspect of the well- being of a woman not only in India but in women from different parts of the world. Women empowerment is one essential part in order for a country to succeed and to be strong. Society is not about men alone, it is between the teamwork of men and women empowered and ready to face the challenges of today’s time.