- According to recent studies, India is set to surpass China as the world’s most populous nation by as early as 2024. In a country where 25 percent of the population is already living on less than $2 a day, many fear the growing population will only make the poverty situation worse.
- Although rapid population growth does not necessarily cause poverty, there is a clear connection between high fertility rates and poverty. In developing countries with high fertility rates, life expectancy and per capita income (two important indicators of well being) typically remain low.
- The good news is that fertility rates in India have dropped significantly as of late, down to 2.2 birth per women. Yet the population is still growing at the world’s fastest rate at nearly 15 million people per year. Whatever measures are taken to combat overpopulation in India, it remains clear that overpopulation is a pressing issue with far-reaching implications on the environment, poverty and health. The following are 10 facts regarding overpopulation in India.
Effects of Overpopulation
- Unemployment
Generating employment for a huge population in a country like India is very difficult. The number of illiterate persons increases every year. The unemployment rate is thus showing an increasing trend.
- Manpower Utilization
The number of jobless people is on the rise in India due to economic depression and slow business development and expansion activities.
- Pressure on infrastructure
Development of infrastructural facilities is unfortunately not keeping pace with the growth of population. The result is lack of transportation, communication, housing, education, healthcare etc. There has been an increase in the number of slums, overcrowded houses, traffic congestion etc.- Resource utilisation
Land areas, water resources, forests are over exploited. There is also a scarcity of resources.- Decreased production and increased costs
Food production and distribution have not been able to catch up with the increasing population and hence the costs of production have increased. Inflation is the major consequence of overpopulation.
- Pressure on infrastructure
Development of infrastructural facilities is unfortunately not keeping pace with the growth of population. The result is lack of transportation, communication, housing, education, healthcare etc. There has been an increase in the number of slums, overcrowded houses, traffic congestion etc.
- Resource utilisation
Land areas, water resources, forests are over exploited. There is also a scarcity of resources.
- Decreased production and increased costs
Food production and distribution have not been able to catch up with the increasing population and hence the costs of production have increased. Inflation is the major consequence of overpopulation.
Steps to Control Population in India
- The Government of India, politicians, policy-makers should initiate a bold population policy so that the economic growth of the country can keep pace with the demands of a growing population.
- Major steps which have been already implemented but still need to be emphasised more control population.
- Increasing the welfare and status of women and girls, spread of education, increasing awareness for the use of contraceptives and family planning methods, sex education, encouraging male sterilisation and spacing births, free distribution of contraceptives and condoms among the poor, encouraging female empowerment, more health care centres for the poor, to name a few, can play a major role in controlling the population.
"The human overpopulation issue is the topic I see as the most vital to solve if our children and grandchildren are to have a good quality of life"
~ Alexandra Paul
