Critics argue that controlling the population growth is violation of human rights and denial of personal liberty
by N.S. Venkataraman
India is today facing a population crisis, which becomes evident from the following facts and figures
 |
| Table 1: Land area, population, population density & GDP per capita |
India has the highest population density and lowest percapita GDP amongst the above countries
The above comparative figures amongst select countries highlight that land area of India is much less than that of China, USA , Brazil and Australia and Indian population density is highest amongst them. Further, the comparative percapita GDP is lowest in India. Obviously, the reduction in the population density would lead to improvement in the percapita GDP.
 |
| Table 2: Birth rate & Death rate in India over the years (Per 1,000 inhabitants) |
 |
| Table 3: India’s population growth |
Over the last 50 years, death rate in India has been declining at a moderate rate to shrink from 27 per 1,000 people in 1950 to 7.2 per 1,000 people in 2020.
While it is a welcome sign that death rate is falling , birth rate is not falling in equal measure is a matter of concern. This leads to steady growth in population
In other words, “ more people are coming in and less people are going out”
GDP percapita in India over the years :
The percapita GDP was around 1410 USD in 2011 and it increased to around 2152 USD in 2019
However, at present, more than 20% of Indian population live below poverty line. Economic growth is taking place steadily but it has to take place at much higher rate, if the poor people were to be lifted out of poverty line and the new arrivals have to be taken care of. GDP growth has to be much higher in a consistent manner in India, which is extremely difficult to achieve in practice.
Views questioning the need for population control measures in India
It is said that women’s fertility rate has been steadily falling (5.9 per woman in 1951 to 2.1 per woman in2020) and the falling trend is likely to continue. Therefore, special measures to control population are not necessary . However, since fall in fertility rate by itself is a slow and long drawn process ,India cannot afford to wait.
Critics further argue that by introducing population control measures, aged population will increase and demographic balance will be disturbed and working hands will become less. This is an exaggerated fear, as in the coming years, when people live longer they would also work longer . With the communication facilities available and developments in technology and medical field, people would remain active in most cases even upto age of 70 years. Therefore, considering the aged people as burden is inappropriate. In the emerging scene of automation and mechanization, industrial and commercial operations will be done more by machines than by men and women. The immediate example is the agricultural farms in India , where mechanization is taking place and labour requirement is becoming less. This is happening in several other sector including construction activities.
Critics further argue that controlling the population growth is violation of human rights and denial of personal liberty . The critics do not seem to understand that in many critical situations , liberty can not remain as a matter of personal affair but should be viewed as a social contract.
Further, critics say that economic development will curtail population growth by itself. Therefore, India should focus on economic growth rather than the growth of population, However, the grim fact is that economic growth cannot be adequate enough to meet the demand of the population growth and this has been repeatedly proved in the past in Indian conditions. This would be a calculated risk to think that economic growth would ensure that population growth would not have adverse impact.
Scenario in China
The critics say that China introduced one child per family norm between 1980 and 2016 and then raised it to two child norm and has now revised it to three child norm. This means that China’s population policy has failed and China has been forced to revise it’s policy.
This interpretation of China scenario is not correct , since China introduced one child norm when population growth was very steep and then by the one child norm, it stabilised the population growth to a sustainable level and now by revising the norm to two child and three child norm, it is avoiding de growth of population and severe demographic imbalance. China’s approach to population is well calculated and pragmatic .
Perhaps, this is the model India should follow.
Views recognizing the need for population control measures in India
It is pointed out that India will be the largest populated country in the world in the coming years and the density of population highest in the world , if the present trend would continue. This would be an unsustainable situation.
With high population density and further population growth, job opportunities cannot meet the demand of the population , particularly as mechanization and automation would increase due to scientific advancement (robotics for example ), replacing labour. Severe unemployment possibility and consequent social instability is a grave threat that India should avoid by controlling the population growth.
Ecological factors will get seriously disturbed, as every human being contributes to pollution by breathing out carbon dioxide and in variety of ways, in the event of high density of population not being controlled.
Full poverty elimination call for population control
What need to be done in India ?
Growth of population should be reduced to socially and economically sustainable level. This can be done by implementing the measures of the Assam and U P government, which would not be viewed as coercive if a holistic view would be taken and long term national needs are considered as priority.
Population density should be brought down to less than 200 per square kilometer in the next 30 years. Even the target of bringing down the population density to 200 per square kilometer is much above the prevailing population density standards in several other countries.
The policy can be reconsidered and revised after achieving the population density target.
Post a Comment