Population growth in India

Parilina Das

(Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University)

Population refers to the total population of a certain area or city. The term 'population growth rate' specifically refers to the change in population over a unit of time, which is frequently stated as a percentage of the population's size at the beginning of that time.

PRESENT SCENARIO: The world population reached an impressive 8 billion people on November 15th, up from 4 billion people in 1947, according to the United Nations' World Population Prospects 2022.

According to the United Nations' most recent estimates, the world's population may reach 8.5 billion people in 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. The population is predicted to peak at 10.4 billion people in the 2080s and stay there until 2100.

The UN predicts that the world population will reach nine billion in 2037, at which point India's population share would surpass China's.

CAUSES OF INDIA'S OVERPOPULATION: One of the key reasons for India's population expansion is a drop in death rates brought on by better medical services and a steady birth rate. The widespread illiteracy in India makes people feel that 'children are god's favours,' which makes them opposed to the idea of "family planning". The majority of rural families live in poverty, so they believe having a large family will enhance their income by putting kids to work.

Urbanization has increased as a result of industrialization and the expansion of opportunities. Because of immunization programmes' success in containing epidemics, the average lifespan of humans has increased. Giving birth to multiple children is a common practice in rural communities since then, children are seen as a source of entertainment.

CONSEQUENCES OF POPULATION GROWTH: One of the risks and a major issue, overpopulation places a significant barrier in the way of national progress. It directly affects how society and a country's development.

Unemployment: The overpopulation exacerbates the issue of undocumented and covert unemployment. When compared to the need for employment, the vacancy rate is minimal, which forces large families and low-income groups to rely on a single earner.

Pollution of the environment: An overpopulated population depletes a significant amount of waste, which has a negative impact on the ecosystem. On the other side, cutting down forests causes pollutants to increase.

Education: Large families with limited money cannot afford to send their children to school.

Reduction in forest area: Housing and shelter are the fundamental components of an increasing population. Man is drastically diminishing and cutting down the forest to create homes and other places to live.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES: The government of India must take appropriate action to address this issue since we are on the verge of becoming the most populated nation in the world. How well the population growth is controlled will determine how the nation develops as a whole. Family planning and welfare issues should be made more widely known by the government and other NGOs. Rural residents should be educated, and modern recreational amenities should be available. Education should be provided to citizens of developing nations so they are aware of the effects of population growth.

CONCLUSION: Numerous problems, including the depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution and degradation, and loss of the natural environment, may result from overpopulation. To regulate and manage the increase in the human population, the Government of India, including its citizens must act right away.