population explosion essay in india

Population Explosion Essay

500+ words population explosion essay.

Population explosion means a sudden increase in the number of individuals in a particular species. The term is used to refer to the world’s human population. In India, the Population explosion has become a severe matter of concern because the increase in population leads to poverty and illiteracy. In this situation, it is difficult to cope with the economy of the country with the rapid growth of the population. The Government of India is now looking into the matter seriously, and many states have framed laws to tackle the problem of population explosion.

Major Causes of Population Explosion

1. increase in birth rate.

One of the major causes for the growth of the population is the high birth rate. During the 1891-1990 period, the birth rate declined from 45.8 per thousand in India, but it is still considered high. So, unfortunately, in India, the birth rate has not seen a decrease in spite of the framing laws in terms of family planning, population education, campaigns, etc.

2. Decrease in Death Rate

In recent years, the decrease in the death rate has been another factor contributing to the rapid growth of the population. In 2001, the death rate in India was about 8.5 per thousand. The death rate has seen a decrease due to advancements in the medical field. For example, chronic diseases like typhoid, chickenpox, etc., are no longer dreaded. Even the infant mortality rate has decreased because of proper sanitation facilities, cleanliness, and better prenatal and postnatal care.

3. Early Marriage

Early marriage is also an essential factor in the rapid increase in population. In India, the marriage age of a girl is 18, which is very low compared to other countries, which is about 23 to 25 years. It leads to a longer span of reproductive activity.

4. Religious and Social Reasons

In India, marriage is considered a compulsory social institution, and every person should marry. Every individual in a joint family takes equal responsibility and has access to an equivalent level of consumption. So, people don’t hesitate to increase their family size to a joint family. In India, most people think that one male child is necessary, and in the expectation of getting a male child, they increase their family size.

Another major cause of the population explosion is poverty. In most families, children become the source of income. From a very young age, children start working for their families instead of going to school, and they become a precious asset to the family. So, every individual becomes an earning member and additional income for the family.

6. Standard of Living

It is seen that people with a low standard of living wish to have additional children as it will be an asset for them rather than a liability. As we know, most of India’s population is uneducated, so they don’t understand the importance of family planning. They are unaware that they can enjoy a better quality of life with a small family.

7. Illiteracy

In India, 60% of the population is either illiterate or has minimum education, which leads to minimal employment opportunities. So, due to the high illiteracy rate and belief in social customs, child marriage and preference for a male child still prevail. As a result, there is a rapid population growth rate in India.

Effects of Population Explosion

1. the problem of unemployment.

An increase in population leads to a vast army of the labour force. But, it is difficult to employ such extensive labour working force due to a shortage of capital resources. Disguised unemployment in rural areas and open unemployment in urban areas are fundamental features of an underdeveloped country like India.

2. More Pressure on Land

Overpopulation creates more pressure on land. It adversely affects the economic development of the country. On the one hand, per capita availability of land goes on diminishing and on the other, the problem of subdivision and fragmentation of holdings increases.

3. Environmental Degradation

Extensive use of natural resources and energy production of oil, natural gas, and coal negatively impacts the planet. An increase in population also leads to deforestation, which directly affects the environment, and it also degrades the soil’s nutritional value and causes landslides and global warming.

So, at last, we can wrap up the essay by stating that overpopulation is considered one of the biggest challenges humanity faces.

Students can also get different essays by visiting BYJU’S website. We have compiled a list of crucial CBSE Essays from an exam perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions on Population Explosion Essay

How can population explosion be controlled.

Awareness campaigns on childbirth control and the gap between consecutive children should reach the common public. It is necessary to take such initiatives to keep the population of a country in control.

Which country has the highest population?

China is a country with a maximum population of about 1.448 billion citizens.

How is the younger generation affected due to this population explosion?

The resources which are meant exclusively for the younger generation get split and are divided due to the population explosion of a country.

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School Education /

Essay on Population Explosion for Students in English

Updated on
Mar 8, 2024

On this page, we will discuss an essay on population explosion. Population refers to the number of people living in a particular area. For example, if 20 million people are living in Delhi, it means the population of Delhi is 20 million. However, population explosion refers to the sudden increase in population. Population explosion causes a burden on Earth’s natural resources, as the planet can only sustain a limited population.

Table of Contents

1.1 Causes of Population Explosion
1.2 Impact of Population Explosion
1.3 Strategies and Policies to Address Population Explosion
2 10 Lines Essay on Population Explosion

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

Overpopulation is by Far the Worst Kind of Pollution – Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Long Essay on Population Explosion

‘Population explosion refers to the sudden and drastic increase in population. Population explosion is associated with the time of rapid population growth, generally caused by factors such as high birth rates, reduced mortality rates, improved healthcare, and advancements in technology. In India, the period from 1951 to 1981 is referred to as the period of population explosion. During this period, the annual growth rate was 2.2 percent.

Causes of Population Explosion

Several factors are responsible for the population explosion in a country.

High Birth Rate

The high birth rate is one of the major causes of the population explosion. From 1951 to 1981, India’s population increased from 31 crore to 71 crore. This was mainly because of higher birth rates in both rural and urban areas. When the birth rate is higher than the death rate, there is an increase in population.

Reduced Mortality Rates

India’s current mortality rate is 9.45 deaths per 1000 inhabitants. With the advances in healthcare, sanitation, and medical technology, there is a decrease in mortality rates. It means the number of deaths per 1000 population is reduced and more people survive to reproductive age, leading to population growth.

High Level of Illiteracy

India’s current literacy rate is 77.7%. However, from 1951 to 1981, when there was a sudden increase in population, the literacy rate was only 18.33%. It was the low literacy rate during this period that resulted in a population explosion in India.

Religious and Social Factors

In several places, religious and social factors are responsible for population explosion. Some communities and religion’s beliefs promote large family size and contraception, impacting birth rates.

Early Marriage

The rapid increase in population is often associated with early marriage. In India, the legal marriage age for men is 21 and for women is 18. Early marriage results in a longer span of reproductive activity. In developed countries, the legal marriage age is generally 21 years or above.

When people migrate to different cities or countries, it impacts population growth. For example, immigration to urban areas can contribute to population explosion in those regions.

Gender Inequality

Societies with gender inequality experience higher birth rates, as women have limited control over family planning decisions. Societies with restricted women’s rights lack control over their bodies and decisions about childbirth. This can lead to unwanted pregnancies and higher fertility rates.

Also Read: Essay on Peer Pressure for Students

Impact of Population Explosion

Nature is the first victim of population explosion. As the global population increases, the demand for resources increases. From depletion of natural resources to economic crises, population explosion affects society as a whole.

Depletion of Natural Resources

With the increased human population, the demand for natural resources such as water, land, forests, and minerals increases. Overexploitation of these resources will eventually deplete natural ecosystems and disrupt ecological balance.

Deforestation

Humans need land to build houses. With increasing population, the need for land increases and there is only limited land available on Earth. This will result in deforestation as forests will be cleared for human settlement, agriculture, and infrastructure development. This will result in habitat loss for many plant and animal species.

Increased Unemployment and Poverty

An increase in population means a large number of workforce. However, there are not sufficient employment opportunities to sustain everyone. This will result in increased unemployment and poverty.

Increased Air and Water Pollution

Air and water pollution are the results of human activities. Increased population density is associated with increased industrialization and urbanization. This will result in increased air and water pollution. The release of toxic substances in water and air pollutes these life-saving resources.

Waste Generation

The increase in population leads to increased waste generation. Inadequate waste management can result in pollution of land, water bodies, and the atmosphere, posing threats to both human and environmental health.

Also Read: Green Revolution Essay in 100, 200 and 500 Words in English

Strategies and Policies to Address Population Explosion

Implementing realistic strategies and policies that promote sustainable population growth, improve reproductive health, and ensure the well-being of individuals and communities can surely help with population explosion.

Promotion of Family Planning Programmes

Easy access to family planning services like contraceptives and reproductive health education can be of great help to deal with population explosion. People must understand the importance of family planning and make civilised decisions.

Education and Women Empowerment

Investing in education and the empowerment of women can help build a just society. Women must become aware of the population explosion and its consequences. The promotion of gender equality will ensure that women have equal opportunities in education, employment, and decision-making.

Enhanced Healthcare Facilities

A strong healthcare system provides essential maternal and child health services, including antenatal care, safe childbirth, and postnatal care. However, people must have easy access to healthcare services to address issues related to maternal mortality and morbidity.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Public awareness campaigns can help with family planning and making informed decisions about having children. Media platforms and the internet can help raise awareness about reproductive health and family planning.

Global Cooperation

Overpopulation or population explosion is not a regional issue. Eventually, it will affect the world as a whole. Therefore, global cooperation is essential to address the population explosion. Moreover, it can create a platform where people from different backgrounds can put creative and innovative ideas to address the population explosion.

10 Lines Essay on Population Explosion

Here is a 10-line essay on population explosion.

Population explosion is the sudden increase in the population of a region or a county.
In India, the period from 1951 to 1981 is known as the period of population explosion.
Its causes are high birth rates, reduced mortality rates, and improved healthcare.
Rapid population growth places immense pressure on natural resources, leading to environmental degradation.
Family planning programs play a crucial role in addressing population explosion by promoting responsible reproduction.
Education and empowerment, particularly for women, contribute to informed family planning decisions.
Economic development and poverty reduction are linked to lower fertility rates.
Population explosion can result in resource depletion, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity.
Public awareness campaigns are essential to destigmatize family planning and promote its acceptance.
Sustainable development requires a balanced approach to address both human needs and environmental conservation.

Ans: ‘Population explosion refers to the sudden and drastic increase in population. Population explosion is associated with the time of rapid population growth, generally caused by factors such as high birth rates, reduced mortality rates, improved healthcare, and advancements in technology. In India, the period from 1951 to 1981 is referred to as the period of population explosion. During this period, the annual growth rate was 2.2 percent.

Ans: Population explosion means the sudden and drastic increase in he human population of a city, region, or country.

Ans: The decades from 1951 to 1981 are known as the people of population explosion in India.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Population Explosion – A Stark Reality in India

From Current Affairs Notes for UPSC » Editorials & In-depths » This topic

* First published: August, 2019; Last Updated: November 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, addressed the problem of population explosion in India. He termed those who opt for smaller families as patriots. He argued that the development and prosperity of the nation begin only when all the individuals are healthy and resourceful. He appealed for the public effort to reduce the population at the ground level. This speech comes with the backdrop of the UN Population Projections report that estimated that India will be the most populous country in the world through the current century.

Disclaimer: IAS EXPRESS owns the copyright to this content.

This topic of “Population Explosion – A Stark Reality in India” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

What is the population explosion?

Population explosion is the sudden increase in the size of the population.
This term was coined by the American Sociologist, Kingsley Davis.
If the trend of high population growth is left unchecked, there will be several repercussions like unemployment , poverty , poor standards of living, a larger gap between the rich and the poor, lesser resources, greater exploitation of natural resources, etc.

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What are the causes of population explosion?

In India, the causes of overpopulation are as follows:

High Birth Rate :
Meaning : Birth rate is the number of new-borns per thousand persons in a year.
Causes : The causes of the high birth rate are as follows:
Poverty : Many poor families consider their children as assets . This is because children can help support the family’s income by working at an early age.
Illiteracy : Many people are not aware of the consequences of overpopulation.
Social pressure : Many families feel that male children are essential. Therefore this increased the birth rate exponentially.
Early marriage : Many individuals are pressured into marriage by society at a very early age. This also contributes to the overpopulation.
Low Death Rate :
Meaning : Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.
Causes : The causes of the low death rate:
Improved management of epidemics : The high death rates are mainly caused due to epidemics. Enhanced medical facilities in both urban and rural areas have highly contributed to the low mortality rate. With the improvement of medical technologies and life-saving drugs, the task of reducing the mortality rate has become easier.
Disaster Management : The advancement of early warning systems and evacuation procedures has contributed to the decline of death rates caused by natural and man-made disasters.

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Is India overpopulated?

India is currently the second-most populous country in the world after China.
According to the UN report, World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights, India is estimated to surpass China as the world’s most populous country in the world by 2027.
This report was published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
According to this report, there will be an additional 273 million people between now and 2050 in India.
India is said to remain the most populous country through the end of the current century
This report also stated that the world’s population may increase by 2 billion people in the next thirty years i.e., from the current 7.7 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050.
The previous UN reports too had predicted that India will surpass China as the world most populous county in the world.
As of 2019, China has 1.43 billion people while India houses 1.37 billion individuals.
In other words, China and India hold 19 and 18 percent of the world population respectively as of 2019.
However, according to the National Family Health Survey, India’s population growth is not uniform.
In India, the Total Fertility Rate differs across various wealth quintiles.
The poorest wealth quintile has a total fertility rate of 3.2 children per woman.
The second-lowest wealth quintile has a TFR of 2.5 children per woman.
The richest quintile has TFR of 1.5 children per woman.
This shows that population growth is high only in the economically weaker section of the Indian society.

Is population a boon or a bane to the Indian economy?

A population can be an asset if the youth of the country has access to education, skill development, increased employment opportunities, etc.
However, currently, India faces a very high unemployment rate.
Many in the Indian population are illiterate and don’t have access to education.
It is estimated that India is currently producing 25 million job seekers but provides jobs to only 7 million.
If this is not addressed soon, the Indian population may become a liability.
The current government is bearing the burden of providing the access to clean drinking water, houses, cooking fuel, electricity , and healthcare to the whole of the Indian population and is aiming to create a $5trillion economy.
Also, India’s landmass is only 35-40% of China’s landmass.
India cannot sustain the current rate of population growth due to the limited geographical area.
If these crises are not addressed soon, India may face various negative repercussions like poverty, pollution, poor standard of living, etc.

Is harsh population control a solution?

Both India and China had experimented with stringent population control measures.
China’s One-Child Policy had increased the proportion of old population while it simultaneously decreased the younger population.
India, during the Emergency, had undertaken similar measures to reduce India’s population.
This policy faced scathing criticism from the world and has not been tried since by any of the governments since.

What are the solutions to counter overpopulation?

Certain measures can be taken to address the overpopulation. They are as follows:

Encouraging late marriages : Many in Indian society opt for early marriages due to various reasons like social pressures, traditions, etc. If late marriages become the norm, it will considerably reduce the birth rate.
Spreading awareness : It is essential to spread awareness among the public about the negative consequences of the overpopulation. This can be done through education, public forums, media, etc. It is essential to provide free education to women at least till the college level so that they need not be dependent on their male counterparts for survival and are willing to participate in the workforce.
Reduction of infant mortality rate : It is essential to bring down the infant mortality rate. This is because, due to high infant mortality rates, many opt for increased birth rate to offset the loss.
Women empowerment : Women must be empowered through education, skill development, financial inclusion so that they can become independent and free from the shackles of the social norms and constraint.
Government schemes on par with efficient family planning : Many opt for having children for the purpose of security during the later stage of life. If the government provides enough security through increased welfare schemes for the older population, people will opt for far lesser children.
Promotion of the girl child : India is a society where the male child has far more importance than their female counterparts. Therefore many families tend to continue having children until a male child is born. Government policies must focus on the increased promotion of female children to address this problem. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme is a step in the right direction.

Way Forward:

India has 13% of unwanted fertility – the product of unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, mainly due to the lack of education, awareness, family planning services, etc.
If this issue is addressed, India will have 30 million lesser people by 2030.
The government must increase its investment in the health sector. Currently, India invests only 1.3% of its total GDP on the health sector of which only 4% is dedicated to family planning.
The government must address the issue at the ground level as the population growth rate differs at various parts of the country due to the social, cultural and economic diversity of India.

Population Growth: According to the UN World Population Prospects (WPP), 2022, India will surpass China as the most populous country by 2023, with a population of 140 crore. India currently accounts for 17.5% of the global population.

This is four times the population of India when it gained independence in 1947. (34 crore).
India is expected to reach 150 crore by 2030 and 166 crore by 2050.

Decline in India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR): In 2021, India’s TFR fell below the replacement level fertility (2.1 children per woman) to two. India had a TFR of six in the 1950s, following independence. Except for Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Manipur, and Meghalaya, several states have achieved a TFR of two. The main reasons for this are high illiteracy rates, widespread child marriage, high under-five mortality rates, low female labor-force participation, lower contraceptive use, and a lack of economic and political power among women.

Improvements in Mortality Indicators:

Life expectancy at birth increased from 32 years in 1947 to 70 years in 2019.
Infant mortality fell from 133 in 1951 (for the big states) to 27 in 2020.
The under-five mortality rate fell from 250 in the 1940s to 41 in 2019, while the maternal mortality ratio fell from 2,000 in the 1940s to 103 in 2019.

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Population Explosion Essay For Students and Children in 1000 Words

In this article, you will read “Population Explosion Essay” for students and children in 1000 words. It includes meaning, causes, effects, and control tips about population explosion.

Table of Contents

Population Explosion Essay (1000 Words)

Population explosion has been a major concern in some countries. For India , it is in a continuous dramatic phase.

Some proper majors can play important roles in this major issue. You will find them right here, within this content.

Population Explosion Meaning

In an area, the number of people increases over time. When it gets a boost within a few calendar days, this is something major to focus on.

However, things were different in the past. Due to the revolution in industries, IT departments, finance sectors, and all other economic points, cities have become the centres of attraction. With

Population Explosion in India

Those were tough times to survive these deadly epidemics. Medical science wasn’t that popular with certain permanent cures.

Causes of Population Explosion

The term population explosion or overpopulation signifies a lot of reasons . Each human has the authority to claim the natural resources of the earth.

1. Falling Mortality Rate

The reduced number was 4.1 million. It was like half of the population had managed.

2. Underutilised Contraception

With the steady fall of the global fertility rate, the numbers are still not enough to control overpopulation. In the 1950s, a woman gave birth to five children on average. As per today’s calculation, the average value is 2.4.

3. Lack of Female Education

With higher possibilities, a woman should know her priorities in family planning. However, this mindset or education process is not that simple to conduct.

Effects & Consequences of Population Explosion

More people increase higher demands for water, food, housing, healthcare, energy, transportation, and more.

1. Increased Conflicts

2. ecological degradation .

With the increasing rate of population, the creation of pressure on ecological sections is obvious.

3. Higher Risk of Pandemics and Disasters

The growing number of people provokes many devastating pandemics. The human world has witnessed a lot of tough situations, such as COVID-19, Ebla, Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, Spanish Flu, and much more.

Population Explosion Control Tips

Combo efforts can make a huge change. They are about spreading awareness and reducing myths or false beliefs in your mind.

Population Explosion and Birth Control

An artificial method is there to prevent pregnancy after a consequence of sexual intercourse. Its name is contraception.

A few practises are necessary to promote the prevention of population explosion. With the right use of awareness and birth rate control, prevention will be easier.

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Essay on Population for Students and Children

500+ words essay on population.

Population refers to the total number of beings living in a particular area. Population helps us get an estimate of the number of beings and how to act accordingly. For instance, if we know the particular population of a city, we can estimate the number of resources it needs. Similarly, we can do the same for animals. If we look at the human population, we see how it is becoming a cause of concern. In particular, the third world countries suffer the most from population explosion. As it is the resources there are limited and the ever-increasing population just makes it worse. On the other hand, there is a problem of low population in many regions.

India population crisis

India faces a major population crisis due to the growing population. If we were to estimate, we can say that almost 17% of the population of the world lives in India alone. India ranks second in the list of most populated countries.

Furthermore, India is also one of the countries with low literacy rates. This factor contributes largely to the population explosion in India. It is usually seen that the illiterate and poor classes have a greater number of children. This happens mainly because they do not have sufficient knowledge about birth control methods . In addition, more people in a family are equals to more helping hands. This means they have better chances of earning.

Moreover, we also see how these classes practice early marriage. This makes it one of the major reasons for a greater population. People marry off their young daughters to men way older than them for money or to get free from their responsibility. The young girl bears children from an early age and continues to do so for a long time.

As India is facing a shortage of resources, the population crisis just adds on to the problem. It makes it quite hard for every citizen to get an equal share of resources. This makes the poor poorer and the rich richer.

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Impact of Population Explosion

Subsequently, pollution levels are on the rise because of the population explosion. As more and more humans are purchasing automobiles, our air is getting polluted. Moreover, the increased need calls for faster rates of industrialization. These industries pollute our water and lands, harming and degrading our quality of life.

In addition, our climate is also facing drastic changes because of human activities. Climate change is real and it is happening. It is impacting our lives very harmfully and must be monitored now. Global warming which occurs mostly due to activities by humans is one of the factors for climate change.

Humans are still able to withstand the climate and adapt accordingly, but animals cannot. This is why wildlife is getting extinct as well.

In other words, man always thinks about his well-being and becomes selfish. He overlooks the impact he is creating on the surroundings. If the population rates continue to rise at this rate, then we won’t be able to survive for long. As with this population growth comes harmful consequences. Therefore, we must take measures to control the population.

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Overpopulation in India: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Table of Contents

Overpopulation in India: India is the world’s most populous country, with over 1.3 billion people. It overtakes China to become the world’s most populated country. Overpopulation is a major problem in India, as the country’s population is growing at an unsustainable rate. The population is expected to exceed 1.5 billion by 2030, and 2 billion by 2050. This rapid growth is putting immense pressure on India’s resources, and is contributing to environmental degradation, poverty, and social unrest. The government has taken some steps to address the problem, but much more needs to be done.

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Target Exam ---

Today, the world is inhabited by over 7 billion people. Rapid population growth is the bane of the economy of underdeveloped, poor and developing countries in the world. The population figures present an ironical situation: whereas North America’s area is 16% of the world, only 6% population of the world lives there but it consumes 45% of the world’s total income. On the other hand, Asia comprises 18% area of the world, but it is home to 67% of the world’s population.

Still, it consumes only 12% of the world’s income. The situation in Africa is also more worrisome. Clearly, the areas with higher population remain socio-economically backward. Their residents get food which is not only insufficient, but is also not good in terms of nutrients.

Unbearable burden of population is clearly seen in four regions of the world – Southeast Asian countries in which China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, India, etc., are the forerunners. The population of the region consisting of the Middle East and North Africa have also been expanding at a rapid pace over the past few decades.

Latin America can also be reported to be responsible for sounding the warning bells for the world. Along with the population increase here, it is witnessing decrease in the quality of life of the people and increase in internal instability. In the sub- Saharan Africa, there is a rapid increase in population due to higher birth and fertility rates.

These above-mentioned areas of the world have been termed as explosive areas of population. Not only the population has increased more in these regions so far, but these areas will be liable to population increase even in the near future too.

Overpopulation in India

India is the second most populous country in the world, after China. Overpopulation is among the more serious problems that our country is facing, as it accounts for more than 1.20 billion people of the over 7 billion population of the world.

Interestingly, USA, that ranks 3rd in the list of most populated countries of the world, is inhabited by 311.1 million people who comprise just 1/4th of India’s population. This gap become even more astonishing when considered that the USA is three times larger than India in size.

Some of the Indian states outnumber several countries in population. Uttar Pradesh with a population of 166 million leaves behind the Russian Federation, home to 146.9 million people. Similarly, Orissa’s population exceeds that of Canada, and Chhattisgarh’s that of Australia.

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Causes of Overpopulation

Increased Life Expectancy: While the average annual birth rate in India, which was 42 per thousand in 1951-61, decreased to 24.8 per thousand in 2011, the country has seen its decadal death rate decline to 8.5 in 2001-2011 from 42.6 in 1901-1911. Since the death rate has also gone down sharply, the population has tended to grow very fast in India.
Lack of family planning: If we add the number of miscarriages (6.20 lakh in 2010-11) in the country with an estimated number of births (2.05 crore in 2010-11) in one year, even in this age of family planning, one woman, on an average, is pregnant at any time in the age group of 15-45 years. All this happens because a large number of people in our country are illiterate with no awareness about the various advantages of family planning and the ill-effects of overpopulation on society.
Early marriage : Child marriage is one of the major social problems of our country. Even today, a large number of boys and girls are married at an age when they are not prepared for family responsibilities either socially, emotionally, physically and mentally. Marriage at unripe age also leads to higher mortality rate of infants.
Lack of education: The failure of family planning is directly related to large-scale illiteracy that also contributes to early age of marriage, low status of women, high child-mortality rate etc mentioned above. Uneducated families cannot grasp the issues and problems caused by the increasing population rate. They are least aware of the various ways to control population, usage of contraceptives and birth control measures.
Religious reasons: The people who are conservative and orthodox are opposed to the use of family planning measures. Women in such families are not allowed to take part in family planning because they are not supposed to go against the wishes of God. There are also women who argue that children are born with God’s will and women are destined to give birth to children. Muslim households have more birth rates than Hindu communities. Surveys among Muslims from time to time have found that despite the awareness of modern family planning measures, most respondents, both women and men, are against their use due to religious reasons and fatalistic outlook.
Compulsions of poverty: Poverty is another reason for the increase in population in our country. Many poor parents produce more children not because they do not have the knowledge about contraceptives, but because they require children to assist them in earning their livelihood. It is clear from the fact that there is unending number of child labourers in our country. If poor families stop the children from working, their family income tends to fall way short of meeting their basic needs.
Problem of mind-set : Generally, illiterate and uneducated children inherit their father’s behaviour and choose to give birth to as many children as is necessary to increase the income of their family. As a son is supposed to be the bread earner of the family, the poor do not mind producing any number of girl children in their desire to be ultimately blessed by a male child.

Effects of Overpopulation

Burden on natural resources: Overpopulation leads to over-exploitation of natural resources. Increasing population puts further burden on the earth’s capacity to produce food and water and other natural resources. As a result, the underprivileged people have to suffer malnutrition, starvation and unhealthy living conditions Excessive increase in population leads to grave forms of pollution and deforestation.
Rise in poverty: Overpopulation leads to the vicious circle of illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. Lack of education deprives the people of the opportunities to earn their livelihood and fulfil the bare necessities of their lives.
Widening the rich-poor gap: Overpopulation leads to an unequal distribution of wealth and income. Consequently, the gap between the rich and poor is widened further.
Migration of Population: Migration is a natural human trait. When the burden of population in any area becomes imbalanced compared to the available financial resources, people tend to move away from their original location. It is comparable to the phenomenon of bee hive – when it is completely filled, flies leave it and go elsewhere. Similarly, human beings stop at one place for a time and then feel the urge to move on again. For this reason, human beings generally do not live anywhere permanently except for a few exceptions.

The impact of human transformation is especially felt in terms of culture, but economic effects are also important. People who make the change are often young people, while the old and the children follow them.

The following are some of the other similar problems generated by overpopulation:

Food and nutrition problems; housing problems; starvation and famine; infectious diseases and epidemics; increasing population pressure on the cities and development of slums; heavy burden on most resources; decrease in agricultural areas; continuous destruction of forests; threat to environment including wildlife; political instability, war, social evils and corruption, etc.

Overpopulation Solutions

Preventing the rapid growth of the population is the key to the victory over poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, economic backwardness, etc in the modern world. The increasing population will only swallow the growing development of the nation and the benefit of advanced technology. Therefore, the following measures should be taken to curb the excessive growth in population:

Family Planning: For a good, prosperous nation, it is necessary that its residents are healthy and their numbers are in sync with the country’s wealth. For this, modern methods and measures of family planning should be adopted. They should be propagated in a proper manner by the government, NGOs and civil society.
Increase in marriage age: Minimum age of marriage of boys and girls should be increased. The age of marriage in India has been fixed for girls at 18 years and for boys at 21 years. It should be complied with firmly in all the states. For this, we require a strong political will, accompanied by an effective system of governance.
Balanced ratio: It is also necessary to make qualitative improvement in the population. The gap between the children should be at least five years and the number of offspring should not exceed two children per family.
Improvement in public health services : It is necessary to pay attention to public health and cleanliness to increase man’s economic capacity. In each state, emphasis should be on pollution-free and clean environment in urban and rural areas.
In the interest of the nation, small areas of land should also be used to their optimum limit.
To fulfil various needs, land should be used for multipurpose production.
Land should not be left un-utilized for any reason.
Appropriate changes in the use of agricultural land should be made in accordance with the demand for any item.
Land use should be determined by considerations of workers, marketing and traffic related arrangements available and the value and quantity of commodities etc.
There is a need to improve the land system and increase agricultural production.
In agriculture, innovative technology should be used at all levels.
In farming, equilibration should be maintained in composting, fertilizers, seeds and pesticides.
New mixed and useful breeds of animals should be developed.
Wastelands, dry and other useless and marshland lands should be made useful by continuously improving upon them.
Need for education: To improve the condition of the farmers, they need to be educated and attached with some cooperatives. With the help of government, co-operatives and other useful institutions, the farmers continue to get the opportunity to learn about loans, proper agriculture methods, education and technology. They, thus, realize that illiteracy is a curse that leads to only deprivation and destruction.
Proper industrialization: In areas where industrial development has not reached yet, industrialization should be done promptly. Small and cottage industries should be encouraged, because small industries establish a necessary linkage and coordination between agriculture and large-scale industries, along with it between rural and urban income. By reducing the gap, they also develop other means of livelihood. This leads to the development of many subsidiary and new dwellings in the cottage and small scale sector. If small industries increase in the villages, they also absorb the burden of population.
Proper government policies: Means of education, entertainment and employment should be increased. Our government needs to adopt such public policies that not only curb the uncontrolled growth of the number of persons, but also prevent unchecked migration of the population and the growing centralization of the people in urban areas. For the right population mix, adequate resources should be harnessed with provision of enough space and strong infrastructure.
Promoting family planning: Spreading awareness about the contraception measures and birth control techniques is most effective method to keep the population within limit. We need to make people aware about benefits and ways of family planning in order to overcome the problem of overpopulation. It will also help them to understand the need of having one or two children at the most.

Family planning needs to be seen under its own right. Right measures will have to be implemented, force will not work, but only through discussions and persuasion, success can be achieved. Legal measures can be helpful but what is of urgent need is the social awareness and realization of responsibility in society as a whole. Other suggestions include:

Encourage interval method rather than sterilization in family planning programme.
Age of girl child marriage should be raised further.
Emphasis to be laid on economic development.
Rapid awareness campaign to be run by the government and non-governmental organizations
New, innovative contraceptives should be explored.
Reduction in birth and fertility rates.
Emphasis on gender parity priority for girl education.
Empowering women: Any woman who has many children for parenting and who passes through child deliveries repeatedly spends most of her life as a mother and wife. She is imprisoned in the four-walls of her house. She cannot play any meaningful role in her community and society until she is able to limit her family to a proper size. Family planning will not only improve family welfare, but also contribute to achieving social prosperity and personal happiness.
Raising awareness: Fast population growth in India hinders the progress and development of the country. Reducing the existing population is not possible but it is possible to check further rise in population of our country which can overcome the problem of population growth, through spreading awareness about overpopulation.

Once people know that unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, unhealthy living conditions, depletion of natural resources and environmental problems are all results of overpopulation; they will themselves take initiatives to control the population growth.

Unbridled growth of population is certainly a problem that our country needs to overcome. The government, NGOs and the people of the society have to work together to solve the problem of overpopulation in our country. Clearly, human beings need to stop overpopulating the world. The Earth has a limited capacity and we must not tear open its bowels to feed ourselves.

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Population and Associated Issues

Last updated on April 13, 2024 by ClearIAS Team

On November 15, 2022, the total number of humans living on the planet crossed 8 billion as per the data of the United Nations Population Fund 2022. What is India’s share of the world population? How does this population rise impact society? How can be effectively managed? Read on to know more.

According to World Population Prospects 2022 , India will overtake China as the world’s most populated nation in 2023.

In 1804, the number of people on earth reached one billion.

In 1930, it took an additional 126 years to reach the second billion, and a further 30 years to reach the third.

The fifth billion was completed in 13 years, whereas the fourth billion only required 14 years.

Table of Contents

The rapid expansion of humans gives birth to numerous issues in the least developed regions.

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It is suggested that immediate action needs to be taken to prevent population growth because failure to do so could result in major issues like environmental harm and a lack of food resources.

In a developing nation like India, the size and growth of the populace are two critical aspects of the demographic phenomenon. India is the second most populated nation in the world after China, with 1,412,495,893 people living there based on the latest United Nations data. India’s populace is equivalent to 7% of the world’s.

India ranks number 2 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous country, according to UN population estimates in April 2023.

Findings related to India in UN World Population Prospects Report 2022

India’s growth rate was 2.3% in 1972, while it is currently less than 1%.
Over this time, the average number of children an Indian woman has in her lifetime has decreased from around 5.4 to under 2.1.
The Replacement Fertility Rate, at which a population precisely replaces itself from one generation to the next, has reached India.
With improved access to healthcare and medical developments, both fertility rates and mortality rates have been dropping.
In the following decades, the population of 0-14 years, 15-24 years, and 65+ will continue to decrease while rising.
Population expansion in India has been fueled by this decline in early mortality for succeeding generations, which is reflected in higher levels of life expectancy at birth.

What opportunities are brought about by a growing populace?

First, a growing working-age population presents a chance for increased per-capita economic growth. The “ demographic dividend ,” a time-limited potential for rapid economic growth, is made possible by this change in the age distribution.
Second, it contributes to the development of a consumption-driven economy that is less reliant on exports to survive. As observed in the example of India, such economies have the propensity to absorb global shocks in a substantially better manner.
For international investors, the large domestic market is appealing. As a result, it contributes to drawing foreign investment into the domestic economy.
Third, a growing population increases opportunities for immigration to other nations , which contributes to the creation of more foreign exchange reserves and strengthens a country’s soft power abroad.
For instance, the Indian Diaspora in the U.S. sends a sizable share of remittances to their families who live in India.

Issues Related to Population Growth

Overpopulation is a severe threat to our existence. It results in issues with politics, society, and the economy, including unequal resource distribution, subpar living circumstances, a broken health system, and others.

Overpopulation causes working institutions to become dysfunctional, undermines all efforts to upgrade the nation’s infrastructure, and makes social welfare programs ineffective.

Social Aspects

Crime: Populace growth and poverty are directly related, and lack of resources and job prospects result in unemployment. The educated youth who are affected by unemployment are thus driven to commit social crimes like robbery, burglary, prostitution, murder, etc.
The discontent among educated unemployed youth is reflected in the terrorist actions that we currently witness in several regions of the nation, for instance, Jammu and Kashmir.
Minority-majority gap: Fears of supremacy over minorities and identity loss might arise in some cultures as a result of overpopulation.
Thus, it has the potential to fuel communalism and cause rifts in the social fabric based on religion.

Economical Aspects

Ageing population: Due to an increase in life expectancy, India’s population is ageing. This has increased the percentage of the elderly populace.
for example, in 2011, Kerala’s share of the populace over 60 years old was 12.6% and Tamil Nadu’s was 10.4%. By 2031, these are anticipated to rise to 20.9% and 18.2%, respectively.
An increase in the senior populace results in higher healthcare and social security costs. This will significantly increase the state exchequer’s financial burden and cut back on funding for investing in capital assets.
Unemployment: Although there is a large army of labourers as a result of overpopulation, it is difficult to give each working person a job that pays a living wage due to a lack of capital resources.
There is a clear distinction between disguised unemployment in rural areas and open unemployment in urban areas.
Resource Depletion: Overpopulation is a direct cause of excessive resource exploitation, environmental degradation, and deterioration. While resources in India have either remained constant or have expanded arithmetically, generating resource constraints, population growth in India has been geometric.
Uneven Income Distribution: The government’s need for investment and capital formation is impacted by overpopulation, which has an impact on the government’s overall development efforts.
Unemployment, unequal food distribution, and rising poverty, which are the main causes of the increase in poverty, make the situation worse.
Poverty: People become poor as a result of unemployment, unfair income distribution, and a lack of resources.

Political Aspects

A nation’s politics is impacted by its economic and social conditions. Rising unemployment, poverty, and unequal wealth distribution all have an impact on the nation’s law and order condition.
Caste politics: Political parties engage in caste-based politics to satisfy their vote bank, which is another factor contributing to the nation’s division.
The interstate disparity in population distribution: There are significant differences between states in terms of growth and population. Increased migration into states with smaller populations and more established economies will be caused by rising populations in some states.
Social conflict including the insider-versus-outsider debate may result from this. States already reserve jobs for their residents. Additionally, ageing States will depend on foreign immigrants to sustain economic growth.

Also read: Fertility Rate in India: Reasons for Decline

Environmental Aspects

Environmental deterioration : Overpopulation is putting pressure on the land, and there is less land available per person.
Environmental deterioration brought on by population growth includes pollution, biodiversity loss, and global warming, among other things. Cities like Delhi, which are suffering from air pollution, are already seeing the effects of overcrowding.

Health Aspects

Spread of infectious diseases: One of the main elements affecting people’s health is population growth. Numerous infectious diseases have emerged as a result of concerns like urban overcrowding and environmental changes brought on by population growth.
Governments are increasingly unable to expand their healthcare facilities and systems due to population increase.

Demographic Disaster

However, if the economic benefits are not inclusive, unable to create jobs, and unable to enhance the living conditions of the youth, the social cohesiveness may suffer significantly.

This optimistic view of the demographic dividend presented in the preceding discussion may be clouded by issues with education, employment prospects, and health care.

A youthful population that lacks skills is underutilized, and is frustrated might stymie economic development and cause a demographic disaster that could destabilize peace and incite conflict.

The Pratham research states that just about 50% of fifth graders can read books from class two and struggle with basic addition and subtraction.
Similarly to this, the health system is underdeveloped, and 48% of children are underweight now, contributing to the demographic dividend of the future.
In eight industries over the last few years, India added the fewest new organized jobs than any other country. In 2017, the contribution from jobs in the unorganized sector increased to 93%, and 60% of those having jobs did not find work for the entire year, indicating persistent underemployment.

Therefore, the only way to prevent this demographic dividend from becoming a demographic disaster is to ensure that there is more employment in the manufacturing and service sectors, and we also need to work on revamping the educational system.

The negative consequences of low employment growth are already evident in the rise in violent protests, terrorism, and other law-and-order issues.

How Can the Population Rise be Effectively Managed?

Raising the Marriage Age: Fertility is influenced by marriage age. Therefore, raising the marriage age to 21 is a good idea.
Education dissemination: It influences people’s perspectives. It increases understanding of the significance of family planning and birth control options. Women who have received education are more health-conscious and steer clear of repeated pregnancies, which lowers the birth rate.
Adoption: Adoption is another powerful tool for reducing the population. Despite costly medical care, some parents are unable to conceive. It is advised that they adopt children from orphanages.
Economic Measures: Numerous economic actions must be implemented as preventative measures against population expansion. More employment opportunities must be created by the government through policies. It is essential to increase employment opportunities in both urban and rural locations.

India’s Population Policy

India has had a formal population policy in place for more than 50 years.
India may have been the first nation to formally declare such a policy in 1952.
The National Family Planning Programme served as the implementation of the population policy. The fundamental goals of this programme have not changed much throughout the years; they are to attempt and change the rate and pattern of population growth in a socially desirable way.
Early on, the main goals were to enhance public health standards, raise public knowledge of population and health issues, and cut down the rate of population growth by promoting various birth control methods.
After the Emergency, the National Family Welfare Program was established instead of the National Family Planning Program, and coercive techniques were abandoned. A wide range of sociodemographic goals is now present for the programme.
The National Population Policy of 2000 included the development of a fresh set of rules.

National Population Policy (NPP), 2000

The strategy sought to combine community initiative, women’s empowerment, education, and Panchayati Raj institutions into the field of population control. Family welfare is used in place of family planning.

Objectives:

To provide integrated service delivery for essential reproductive and child health care , as well as to meet the unmet needs for contraceptives, health care infrastructure, and health professionals.
By 2010, the total fertility rate should reach replacement levels as a medium-term goal.
long-term goal: to stabilize the population by 2045.

Broad Targets:

Reduce infant mortality to 30 per cent and improve child and reproductive health by addressing the infrastructure, service, and supply needs for basic reproductive and child health.
Reduce the percentage of boys and girls who drop out of primary and secondary school to under 20% by making education up to the age of 14 free and mandatory.
reduce maternal mortality to 100.
Achieving universal immunization of children against all vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Achieving 80% of deliveries should take place in medical facilities, 100% should be handled by skilled experts, and 100% of pregnancies, births, and deaths should be registered.
It envisioned a stable population by 2045, which was later postponed to 2065.
Enhancing the health and family welfare services and expanding access to contraceptives.

It has drawn criticism on several fronts since it offers monetary incentives for small family norms, even though financial incentives do not alter habits and behaviours based on social norms.

Additionally, NPP-2000 placed a strong emphasis on the function of Panchayati Raj Institutions, although it did not specify exactly what that function would be.

Disincentives are the most common kind of coercion. State-imposed disincentives frequently discriminate against the poor and women.

Government Schemes

To stabilize the population, the government has mostly relied on family planning initiatives. Family welfare programs are a crucial part of the family planning process, and several different ones have been introduced over time:

The Janani Suraksha Yojana encourages institutional delivery while lowering maternal and newborn fatalities through financial aid.
The Integrated Child Development Scheme emphasizes the overall health, nutrition, and vaccination of children under the age of six as well as the correct dietary and physical education of expectant and nursing mothers.
program for universal immunization .
Pradhan Swasthya Mantri The Suraksha Yojana aims to balance out the disparities between the cost and accessibility of tertiary-level healthcare.
Program for ASHAs to provide contraceptives to beneficiaries’ homes and doorsteps.
Plan for ASHAs to ensure birth spacing. An essential component of the ASHA kit now includes the pregnancy testing kit.

Population growth is a serious global concern that has negative socioeconomic, environmental, and health effects. The birth rate, mortality rate, and migration rates are all factors that affect the population growth rate of the country, which is rapidly rising. The demand for greater resources in overpopulated areas leads to deforestation for food production, urban overcrowding, and the spread of terrible diseases.

Since Independence, the government has launched several initiatives to reduce population increase, some of which have been somewhat successful in doing so. There is a need for a more targeted strategy in certain areas that continue to experience rapid population expansion.

Article Written By: Aryadevi E S

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NCERT Books

Population Explosion Essay | Essay on Population Explosion for Students and Children in English

Population Explosion Essay: Next to the People’s Republic of China, India is the most populous country in the world. According to 2011 Census, India with 1.21 billion people is very close to China’s 1.35 billion population. India occupies 2.4% of the world’s land area and supports over 17.5% of the world’s population, thereby meaning one out of six people on this planet is an Indian. It is estimated that India is all set to leave China behind by 2030 in terms of population. But, it is interesting to note that India is not ignorant towards the problem of population explosion as the latest census shows that 2001 -2011 is the first decade which has actually added lesser population as compared to the previous decades (with exception of 1911-1921).

You can read more Essay Writing about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Population Explosion for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Population Explosion’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on Population Explosion of 400-500 words. This long essay about Population Explosion is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Population Explosion of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Long Essay on Population Explosion 500 Words in English

Below we have given a long essay on Population Explosion of 500 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

Kautilya, a political philosopher considered population as a source of political, economic and military strength. But today, population explosion is considered as the burden on planet Earth. Evidently, largest contributors to population are the poorer nation or developing countries to be precise. Among Indian States and Union territories, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state and Lakshadweep is the least populated.

The major cause of this population explosion is the widening gap between the birth ; rate and the death rate. Earlier, there was a balance between the birth and death rate due to limited medical facilities, people dying in war and others. The whole ethos in poorer nations is that the more children one has, the more people will be able to provide for the family and look after the parents in their old age. This notion has primarily arisen due to illiteracy.

Illiteracy is the problem which our country and other poorer nations are facing today. Low literacy rate leads to traditional superstitious and ignorant population. This is evident from the fact that Kerala which has a very high literacy rate forms only 2.76% of Indian population as compared to Uttar Pradesh having maximum number of illiterate population constituting 16.49% of the population.

Poor people are illiterate and see a child as a “gift of God” which directly leads to | population explosion. They fail to understand or estimate the adverse effects of such explosion which are as follows: Increasing population has led to declining Man Landratio. There is also food scarcity problem as it is very hard to keep pace with the demands of the fast growing population. Common properties such as forest and water are over-exploited. This results in deforestation and desertification with permanent damage to the renewable resources.

Along with population explosion, the total number of illiterate people are also increasing every year which is an indication of the wastage of human resource. Facilities such as housing, transportation, health care and education become inadequate giving rise to problems like unsanitised localities, traffic congestion, crowded hospitals etc.

To tackle’this problem, lots of countries have taken corrective measures. The most significant population control system is China’s ‘one child policy’ wherein having more than one child is discouraged by imposing taxes. In Iran, mandatory contraceptive training courses are required for both males and females before a marriage license can be obtained. In the United States, the Public Health Service Act provides access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to those in need. Priority for services is given to people with low incomes.

Short Essay on Population Explosion 200 Words in English

Below we have given a short essay on Population Explosion is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

India too has applied some of these measures to curb this problem. “Hum do, hamare do” slogan meaning one family, two children and “Chhota Parivar, Sukhi Parivar” meaning small family, happy family has been hugely promoted by the government to reinforce the message of family planning. To spread awareness, hoardings with such slogans have been put up in hospitals and in public places. Government has also introduced the concept of contraceptive vending machines at various places along with repeated advertisements by the means of media. Even NGO’s are being involved to spread awareness and education among the masses. Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam once said “Almost half of the population of the world lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty. Such inequality in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and in some parts of the world, even violence. ”

Population explosion is a massive problem and there are no easy solutions. Action plans and strategies should be developed to increase public understanding of how rapid population growth limits the chances of meeting basic needs. Effective provisions in taxation should be made that favour families with limited number of children. The spirit of open communication and empowerment of women will be the key to a successful solution to many problems. Sex-education needs to be made a mandatory subject in schools, so that students at the early age of their youth know the advantages of contraceptives and understand the importance of family planning. The road may seem long for India but it is not an impossible destination to arrive at.

Population Explosion Essay Word Meanings for Simple Understanding

Philosopher – theorist, thinker
Ethos – the characteristic spirit of a culture, or community as seen in its attitudes
Desertification – the process by which fertile land becomes desert, the rapid depletion of plant life
Congestion – jamming, overcrowding
Curb – control, limit, reduce

The Welcome Summary

Population Explosion Essay | A Critical Analysis | Causes | How We Can Work Together

With over 7.8 billion people on the planet, it’s no secret that we are facing a critical issue that needs immediate attention. The rapid increase in population has many negative consequences ranging from environmental degradation to social and economic challenges. Here we are providing short and long population explosion essay in English for your knowledge and information. After going through this essay, you will explore the causes and consequences of population explosion, as well as offer some solutions for how we can work together to address this pressing issue. The essay will be extremely useful in your school /college assignments where you have to write an essay, give speech or take part in a debate competition.

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What is Population Explosion?

In simple terms, population explosion is defined as the rapid increase in human population over a short period of time. The global human population has exploded in the last century, growing from 1.6 billion in 1900 to more than 7.6 billion today. This rapid growth is largely due to advancements in medical care and technology that have led to longer life spans and higher fertility rates. While the world’s population continues to grow at an alarming rate, the availability of resources is not keeping pace. This imbalance between people and resources is causing major problems around the world, including overcrowding, poverty, and environmental degradation. The term “population explosion” was first coined by British demographer Aurel Wilberforce Stott in his 1944 book The Control of Life. In it, Stott warned of the dangers of unchecked population growt h and called for measures to be taken to reduce birth rates. While his predictions about the future were somewhat exaggerated, they did bring attention to the issue of population growth and its potential impact on society. Over the next few decades, as the world’s population continued to grow rapidly, other experts began to echo Stott’s concerns. In 1968, American biologist Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb, which warned of mass starvation and societal collapse if immediate action was not taken to curb population growth. Ehrlich’s book sparked a worldwide debate on the issue and helped raise awareness of the problem of overpopulation. Since then, much has been done to try to address the issue

The Causes of Population Explosion: Understanding the Factors Behind Rapid Population Growth

Advances in medicine and healthcare services:.

The world population has been growing rapidly over the past century, primarily due to advances in medicine and healthcare services. Breakthroughs in medical technology and improved access to healthcare have significantly increased life expectancy, allowing people to live longer and contributing to population growth. As more individuals survive into old age, the overall population continues to expand.

Decrease in Infant Mortality Rates:

Another important factor contributing to population explosion is the decrease in infant mortality rates. Many countries have implemented programs focused on reducing infant mortality by improving healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation. These efforts have led to more children surviving infancy and reaching adulthood, thus contributing to the overall growth of the population.

Urbanization and Migration:

Increased urbanization has played a significant role in the population explosion. As people migrate from rural areas to cities in search of better economic opportunities and improved living conditions, they often have fewer children. However, due to the sheer number of individuals migrating, the overall population in urban areas continues to increase. This migration-driven growth adds to the global population growth.

Cultural Norms and Family Planning:

Cultural norms and values can influence family planning decisions and contribute to population growth. In some cultures, having large families is considered desirable or necessary for economic reasons, social status, or traditional beliefs. These cultural factors can lead to higher fertility rates and contribute to population expansion.

Agricultural Practices and Food Production:

Improvements in agricultural practices and food distribution systems have played a significant role in sustaining larger populations. Increased food production, advancements in farming techniques, and enhanced distribution networks have helped feed growing populations. Adequate food supply has enabled more individuals to survive and thrive, further contributing to the global population growth.

The Consequences of Population Explosion: Examining the Impacts of Rapid Population Growth

Strain on resources and rising prices:.

As the population grows, the demand for resources like food, water, energy, and raw materials increases. However, the limited availability of these resources leads to scarcity, higher prices, and competition for access. This can create social and economic instability, food shortages, and conflicts over resources.

Environmental Degradation and Climate Change:

The rapid population growth contributes to environmental degradation. Deforestation, pollution, and overuse of natural resources are common consequences. These activities harm ecosystems, wildlife, and contribute to climate change. Climate change poses serious threats to the planet’s sustainability and impacts weather patterns, agriculture, and overall environmental health.

Strain on Infrastructure and Services:

The increasing population puts pressure on infrastructure such as housing, transportation, healthcare facilities, and schools. Meeting these demands becomes challenging, leading to overcrowding, inadequate services, and strain on existing infrastructure. This can result in poor living conditions, insufficient access to healthcare and education, and limited public services.

Healthcare Challenges and Limited Access:

With a growing population, healthcare systems face challenges in providing adequate services. The demand for healthcare facilities, trained professionals, and resources increases. However, limited access to quality healthcare, particularly in developing regions, can result in inadequate healthcare services, compromised public health, and higher disease burdens.

Poverty, Inequality, and Unemployment:

Population explosion can worsen poverty levels and widen socio-economic disparities. The competition for resources and jobs can lead to lower wages, unemployment, and income inequality. Marginalized communities often bear the brunt of these consequences, facing difficulties in accessing education, healthcare, and basic needs.

Urbanization Issues and Overcrowding:

As the population grows, more people move from rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities. This rapid urbanization can result in overcrowded cities, slums, and strains on urban infrastructure and services. Issues like inadequate housing, insufficient water supply, sanitation problems, and transportation challenges become more prevalent.

Education Constraints and Quality:

The increasing population creates pressure on the education system. Schools and educational institutions may struggle to accommodate the growing number of students, leading to overcrowded classrooms, lack of resources, and compromised education quality. This can hinder educational development and limit future prospects for individuals and society as a whole.

Cultural and Social Transformations:

Population explosion can bring about cultural and social changes within communities. Traditional practices, social norms, and community structures may undergo transformations as population growth influences lifestyles, values, and intergenerational dynamics. These changes can have both positive and negative impacts on societal cohesion, cultural heritage, and community well-being. To tackle the consequences of population explosion, we need to take comprehensive actions. This means managing resources in a sustainable way, preserving the environment, implementing fair socio-economic policies, investing in infrastructure, enhancing healthcare systems, and ensuring everyone has access to good education and job opportunities.

How We Can Work Together to Address Population Explosion

Education and empowerment for informed choices.

To address population explosion, education plays a crucial role. By educating people about family planning and contraception methods, individuals can make informed decisions about the timing and number of children they want. Promoting gender equality is also important, as women with higher education levels tend to have fewer children. Empowering women through education, healthcare access, and job opportunities allows them to have control over their reproductive choices.

Reducing Infant Mortality for Family Planning

Reducing infant mortality rates is a significant step in addressing population growth. When parents have confidence that their children will survive into adulthood, they tend to choose to have fewer children. Therefore, improving healthcare systems and ensuring access to quality healthcare for infants and children is crucial in encouraging family planning and population control.

Government Policies for Sustainable Population Management

Government policies can contribute to population control by implementing strategies such as tax incentives for smaller families or penalties for larger families. These policies help create awareness and incentivize individuals to consider family planning while ensuring that social welfare programs remain sustainable.

Addressing Poverty for Sustainable Development

Poverty is a driving factor behind high birth rates due to lack of access to basic resources like food, healthcare, and clean water. By addressing poverty levels globally, we can promote sustainable development and create a more balanced society. Improving access to resources and opportunities, including education and healthcare, can help break the cycle of poverty and contribute to population stabilization.

Promoting Sustainable Practices for Environmental Preservation

Environmental Preservation edumantra.net

The population explosion has led to increased resource demand and environmental degradation. To prevent further damage to our planet, we must adopt sustainable practices. This includes reducing waste and emissions, conserving energy and water resources, and supporting renewable energy initiatives. Individuals can make a difference by making small changes in their daily lives, such as using reusable bags and containers. Governments also play a vital role in enacting policies that promote sustainability and holding corporations accountable for their environmental impact.

Education and Collective Action for Environmental Awareness

Education plays a critical role in raising awareness about the importance of preserving our planet’s natural resources. By educating ourselves and others about environmental issues, we can take informed action to mitigate them. It is essential for individuals, governments, and corporations to work together towards a sustainable future. Through collective effort, we can ensure that future generations inherit a healthy and thriving planet.

Population explosion is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention from individuals, governments, and organizations worldwide. The causes of this phenomenon are complex and multifaceted, but the consequences are dire if left unaddressed. We must work together to find solutions to population growth through education, family planning programs, and sustainable development initiatives. It is time for us to realize that our actions have consequences on the planet’s health and take responsibility for them. Ultimately it is up to us how we want our future generations to experience life on Earth. Do we want them struggling with basic necessities or enjoying a healthy environment? It’s high time to act now before it’s too late!

Population Explosion in India: Meaning, Causes, Effects, and Control Mesures

Introduction: Population explosion is not only a problem in India; it has reached a menacing proportion all over the world, especially in the poorer countries.

The population of India was around 361 million during the census of 1951. It reached over 1.21 billion during the census of 2011.

The developed countries in the West or in countries like Japan which are rich enough to employ all their people according to their abilities the growth of population may prove to be a boon, for the rapid growth of industries and national wealth always need greater workforce to implement the programs of development in ever-expanding spheres. However, a developing country like India, where the resources and employment opportunities are limited, the rapid increase in population during the post-independent has negatively affected its economy.

Population Explosion refers the sudden and rapid rise in the size of population, especially human population. It is an unchecked growth of human population caused as a result of:

increased birth rate,
decreased infant mortality rate, and
improved life expectancy.

A drastic growth in population beyond normal limits is called population explosion. It is more prominent in under-developed and developing countries than in developed countries.

Population explosion mainly refers to the surge in population post-World War II. However, in context to India, it refers to the rapid increase in population in post-Independent era.

Also read: Short Paragraph on Population Explosion

The causes of population explosion are as follows:

Accelerating birthrate: Due to lack of awareness about the positive impact of using birth-control method, there has been a steady growth in birthrate.
Decrease in infant mortality rate: An improvement in medical science and technology, wide usage of preventive drugs (vaccines), has reduced the infant mortality rate. There has been great improvement in medical and health-care facilities during the past few decades.
Increase in life expectancy: Due to improved living conditions, better hygiene and sanitation habits, better nutrition, health education, etc. the average life expectancy of human population has improved significantly. Steady supply of good quality food make sure that the population is well nourished. Populations grow when they are adequately nourished.
Increased immigration: An increase in immigration often contributes towards population explosion, particularly in developed countries. It happens when a large number arrive at an already populated place with the intention to reside permanently.
Less space than required: In urban cities, it is often found that there is very less scope for making available extra space to absorb the additional population. In such cases, a large population is seen packed into a smaller space.

The effects of population explosion in India are as follows:

Over-population: Population explosion may lead to overpopulation, i.e., a condition where population surges to a level that the earth cannot accommodate comfortably, and poses a threat to the environment.

Unemployment: In developing countries like India, with a backward economy and little scope for fruitful employment, millions of people find no work to do. The unemployed, having nothing to do and without an ensured living, are left frustrated and demoralize, losing their faith in life itself. As it happens in India and several underdeveloped countries in Asia and Africa, the unemployed threatens the very process of development and plunge the country in gloom. It is only natural. Those who are born with two hands consider it a curse when they are denied the simple right to work and earn a living. While their numbers go on multiplying and the growth rate becomes menacing, the fruits of development are found to be too inadequate to bridge the yawning gulf.

Poverty: High birth rate, both historically and statistically, is associated with poverty and low standard of living. It may be noted that poverty is both the cause and effect of population explosion. Due to poverty, there has been massive growth of population. On the other hand, the large masses of people live in poverty due to overpopulation.

It may sound queer, but the law is that the poorer a country the greater is the growth rate of its population. India, caught in the morass of her age-old poverty, finds herself in the midst of a population explosion. The population that was less than 400 million in the forties was found to be about 1.21 billion in 2011 census. As a result of this even the six plans completed by now have so far failed to cope with the enormous problem of unemployment.

Whatever our plans might have achieved in some sixty-five years is found to be too little to eradicate poverty. More than seventy percent of Indians live in villages and most of them languish in their dark, dreary nooks; the fruits of our plans have not quite reached them. Many of them have no occupation. Due to lack of awareness, poor people fail to check population growth. In the towns too the poorer sections always have bigger families, while the rich and well-off sections live comfortably with small families. The poor in India are ignorant and superstitious, and so they do not see the advantages of planned family. Many of them never think of going against the law of nature and the will of their God; so they never refrain from breeding children, though they know that they cannot even feed them and keep them away from the curse of poverty and ignorance. Perhaps the sickening monotony of living in their world of despair leads them to torment their women with a vengeance and seek as much pleasure as they can. These poor people do not have the education necessary for planning their present with a view to ensuring a better future. This is why while their hope wears off they leap in the dark and break their neck, making things grimmer for their world. The millions of famished, under-nourished and naked children everywhere in India show the chaos this country is in.

Illiteracy: The resources available are fixed. In theory and in practice, the total available resources are shared by the people using them. Population explosion is the key reason for illiteracy in India. People prefer engage their children in economic activities, rather than providing them education.

Poor Health: If people do not get adequate food and nutrition, then they may suffer from poor health.

Economy: People need food, clothes, shelter, and occupation to make their living. The demand for consumption should never exceed the production or resource limit. The economy of any country is negatively impacted, if there is massive population explosion beyond the tolerance limit.

Pollution and Global warming: Too much population causes too much pressure on earth. There arises excessive demand for finished products leading to over-industrialization and over-utilization of resources. The industrial discharges, and fumes are the chief causes for water and air pollution. Further, the poisonous gases released because of burning of fossil fuels in factories is widely responsible for Global warming.

Control Measures / Initiatives

The government cannot ignore or shelve the problem of population explosion, for it is a rot and entire development of the country depends on how effectively it is stemmed. This awareness made our governments, both at the centre and in the states, to think about the adopt official programme to educate public opinion and reduce the birth rate so that the population can fit in well with the evolving pattern of developing economy.

The Family Planning as an official programme was launched with much fanfare in 1952. The government is still trying to educate the people. All government agencies and institutions mobilized all their resources to attain the goal of planned families. The propaganda machinery was geared up with the help of public media. The people were reminded of the advantages of small families, of healthy and happy children and of the need for eradicating the age-old poverty. The parents were persuaded to go in for sterilization after the births of two children, for the contraceptive were not always found to be safe and full-proof. Many parents, especially the educated, came forward to see things in the new light and were amenable to persuasion. However, many others resisted, at places quite violently, and refused to see reason. The government was very serious about making the programme a success. The state governments also came forward to help the center in its bid to achieve success. Cheap contraceptives were distributed in even the remotest villages, sex education was popularized, vasectomy operations were conducted and abortion was legalized.

However, even then family planning has a lot more to achieve, for the population in India has already become about 121 billion and at this rate of growth it may very soon become 150 billion and then 200 billion and so on.

The problem of population can be solved only by creating awareness and educating the people to control birthrates. The advantages of adopting to various birth control methods should be properly explained to common people.

Conclusion: Population explosion has caused more pressure on earth. We should save energy so that the entire population can enjoy its benefit. We can control the global warming issues by curbing the usage of fossil fuels. Food security is another area that need attention. The agricultural output should increase with growing population to make sure steady supply of food to all. We should use potable water carefully. With larger population, there is a need for harmony and peace among nations.

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Essay on Population Problem in India

Students are often asked to write an essay on Population Problem in India in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Population Problem in India

Introduction.

India, the second most populous country globally, faces significant challenges due to its growing population. It’s a matter of concern as it affects the nation’s development.

Reasons for Population Growth

The main reasons for population growth in India include high fertility rates, decreased mortality rates, and migration. Lack of education and awareness about family planning also contributes to population growth.

Impacts of Overpopulation

Overpopulation in India leads to poverty, unemployment, and scarcity of resources. It also puts pressure on infrastructure, leading to issues like overcrowding and inadequate healthcare.

Solutions to Population Problem

To control the population, the government should focus on improving education, promoting family planning, and implementing effective policies. Public awareness is also crucial to address this issue.

250 Words Essay on Population Problem in India

The population explosion in India can be attributed to several factors. The primary reason is the high fertility rate, fueled by societal norms that value larger families. Additionally, lack of education and awareness about family planning methods, especially in rural areas, has contributed to the surge in population.

Implications

The burgeoning population has myriad implications. It exerts immense pressure on limited resources, leading to scarcity and unequal distribution. It also poses challenges to the government’s efforts in providing adequate healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, thus exacerbating poverty and inequality.

Way Forward

Addressing India’s population problem requires a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, emphasis should be placed on education, particularly women’s education, as it is directly linked to lower fertility rates. Secondly, the government should ramp up efforts to increase awareness and accessibility of family planning methods. Lastly, policies should aim at equitable distribution of resources to mitigate the adverse effects of overpopulation.

In conclusion, the population problem in India is a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. By focusing on education, family planning, and equitable resource distribution, India can effectively manage this challenge and ensure sustainable development for its citizens.

500 Words Essay on Population Problem in India

India, the second most populous country in the world, is facing a significant population problem. As per the latest census, the population of India is over 1.3 billion, accounting for almost 18% of the world’s population. This massive population has both positive and negative implications, but the negatives seem to outweigh the positives due to the strain on resources and infrastructure.

The Population Explosion and its Implications

Moreover, the infrastructure in India, whether it’s housing, transportation, or sanitation, is not equipped to handle such a massive population. This has resulted in overcrowded cities, slums, traffic congestion, and inadequate sanitation facilities, affecting the quality of life.

Population and Economic Implications

From an economic perspective, the population problem has resulted in unemployment and underemployment. Despite being one of the fastest-growing economies, India struggles with job creation. The current job market cannot absorb the millions entering the workforce every year, leading to high unemployment rates.

The Education and Health Conundrum

Education and health are two critical areas impacted by the population problem. Despite significant strides in improving literacy rates, the education system struggles to keep up with the population growth. Overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching resources, and poor quality of education are common issues.

Similarly, the health sector is under immense pressure. The doctor-patient ratio is far from ideal, leading to inadequate healthcare services. Moreover, the high population density facilitates the rapid spread of diseases, posing a significant public health challenge.

Conclusion: The Way Forward

Moreover, economic policies should aim at job creation to absorb the growing workforce. Lastly, a sustainable approach to resource utilization is needed to prevent overexploitation and ensure future generations’ well-being.

In conclusion, while the population problem in India is a significant challenge, it is not insurmountable. With effective policies, public awareness, and sustainable practices, India can turn this challenge into an opportunity for growth and development.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Geography Notes

Essay on population in india.

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Read this comprehensive essay to learn about the 1. Definition of Population, 2. Aspects of Population in India, 3. Age and Sex Structure, 4. Sex Ratio in India and Its Determinants, 5. Growth Rate of Population in India, 6. Factors Contributing to the High Growth Rate of Population, 7. Population Projection in India (2001-2026), 8. Population Projection in India by 2050.

India like most countries of the world, has evolved from conditions of high mortality due to famines, accidents, illness, infections, and war and from the time when high levels of fertility was essential for survival of offspring. Over the years, enhancement in areas of diseases prevention, cure and vagaries of nature, and better care for women and infants, it has witnessed significant increase in life expectancy along with a steep fall in mortality.

Essay # 1. Definition of Population:

Population is defined as the total number of individuals of a species in a specific geographical area; can interbreed under natural conditions to produce fertile offsprings and functions as a unit of biotic community.

Similar populations of a species occupying different geographical areas are called sister populations of a species e.g., all the frogs (Rana tigrina), water hyacinth (Eichhornia—an aquatic weed) plants found in a pond and individuals of the common grass, Cyanodon dactylon, in a given area form the populations of frog, water hyacinth and common grass respectively of that pond.

The frogs (Rana tigrina) found in different ponds form the local populations and are sister populations of one another. A local population may be occupying a very-small sized area e.g., a temporary pool of water. Other examples of populations are all the cormorants in a wetland, rats in an abandoned dwelling, teak wood trees in a forest tract, Paramecia in a culture tube, mosquito fish in a pond, etc.

In a geographical area, the population is further divisible into sub-groups called demes. The individuals of a population are capable of interbreeding among themselves. The chances of this sexual communication are more between the members of same deme than between the members of different demes of that population which are further reduced between the members of sister-populations. Due to this mating ability, there is free flow of genes in a species.

Essay # 2. Aspects of Population in India:

Size and Growth:

The current population of India is 1,342,528,871 (1.34 billion) people and it is the second most populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over 1,415,489,506 (1.41 billion) people. Out of the world’s 7 billion people, India represents almost 17.85% of the world’s population. It is predicted that India will beat China to become the highest populous country by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.2%, India is predicted to have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030.

More than 50% of India’s current population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. About 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages and the rest 27.8% in about 5,480 towns and urban agglomerations. The birth rate (child births per 1,000 people per year) is 22.22 births/1,000 population while death rate (deaths per 1000 individuals per year) is 6.4 deaths/1,000 population. Fertility rate is 2.72 children born/woman and infant mortality rate is 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births.

India has the largest illiterate population in the world. The literacy rate of India as per 2011 Population Census is 74.04%, with male literacy rate at 82.14% and female at 65.46%. Kerala has the highest literacy rate at 93.9%, Lakshadweep (92.3%) is on the second position, and Mizoram (91.6%) is on third. The population of a state like Uttar Pradesh is almost equal to the population of Brazil. It has, as per 2001 Population Census of India, 190 million people and the growth rate is 16.16%. The population of the second most populous state Maharashtra, which has a growth rate of 9.42%, is equal to that of Mexico’s population.

Bihar, with 8.07%, is the third most populous state in India and its population is more than Germany’s. West Bengal with 7.79% growth rate, Andhra Pradesh (7.41%), and Tamil Nadu (6.07%) are at fourth, fifth, and sixth positions respectively. The sex ratio of India stands at 940. Kerala with 1058 females per 1000 males is the state with the highest female sex ratio. Pondicherry (1001) is second, while Chhattisgarh (990) and Tamil Nadu (986) are at third and fourth places respectively. Haryana with 861 has the lowest female sex ratio.

Determinants of Population Change:

The main causes which are generally identified for the high population in India are listed here:

(a) The Birth Rate is still Higher than the Death Rate:

India has been successful in declining the death rate. On the other hand, it has not been able to control the high birth rates. The fertility rate due to the population policies and other measures has been falling, still it is much higher compared to other countries. Various social causes are at the root of overpopulation in India.

(b) Early Marriage and Universal Marriage System:

Though legally the marriageable age of a girl is 18 years, the concept of early marriage still prevails and getting married at a young age prolongs the child bearing age. Also, in India, marriage and child bearing are sacrosanct obligations and a universal practice, and almost every woman is married at the reproductive age.

Underprivileged families have a presumption that more the number of members in the family, more will be the hands to earn income. Some feel that more children are needed to look after them in their old age. Also, malnutrition can be the cause of death of their children and hence the need for more children. Many parts of India still lag behind the use of contraceptives and birth control methods. Many of them are not willing to discuss or are totally unaware about them.

(d) Age Old Cultural Norm:

Sons are believed to be the bread earners, the carriers of lineage, and the source of salvation for their parents. Many families give birth to multiple children in the hope of a male child.

(e) Illegal Migration:

Finally, the fact that illegal migration is continuously taking place from lesser developed neighbouring countries is leading to increased population density.

Implications of the Size and Growth of Population:

The impact of overpopulation is varied and has far reaching consequences in many areas of life.

Ecological Consequences:

Overpopulation causes massive ecological damage by the wasteful, unnecessary, and unbalanced consumption and exploitation of nature. The review on “Promotion of Sustainable Development- Challenges for Environmental Policies” in the Economic Survey 1998-99 had covered in detail the major environmental problems and policy options for improvement.

According to this review, in many developing countries, continued population growth has resulted in pressure on land, fragmentation of land holding, collapsing fisheries, shrinking forests, rising temperatures, and loss of plant and animal species. Global warming due to increasing use of fossil fuels (mainly by the developed countries) could have serious effects on the populous coastal regions in developing countries, their food production, and essential water supplies.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected that, if current greenhouse gas emission trends continue, the mean global surface temperature will rise from 1 to 3.5 degrees Celsius in the next century. The panel’s best estimate scenario projects a sea- level rise of 15 to 95 cms by 2100. The ecological impact of rising oceans would include increased flooding, coastal erosion, salination of aquifers, and coastal crop land and displacement of millions of people living near the coast. Patterns of precipitation are also likely to change, which combined with increased average temperatures, could substantially alter the relative agricultural productivity of different regions. Greenhouse gas emissions are closely linked to both population growth and development. Slower population growth in developing countries and ecologically sustainable lifestyles in developed countries would make reduction in greenhouse gas emission easier to achieve and provide more time and options for adaptation to climate change. Rapid population growth, developmental activities either to meet the growing population or the growing needs of the population, as well as changing lifestyles and consumption patterns pose major challenge to preservation and promotion of ecological balance in India.

Some of the major ecological adverse effects reported in India include:

1. Severe pressure on the forests, due to both the rate and the nature of resources used. The per capita forest biomass in the country is only about 6 tons as against the global average of 82 tons.

2. Adverse effect on species diversity.

3. Conversion of habitat to land use such as agriculture, urban development, and forestry operation. Some 70-80% of fresh water marshes and lakes in the Gangetic flood plains have been lost in the last 50 years.

4. Tropical deforestation and destruction of mangroves for commercial needs and fuel wood. The country’s mangrove areas have reduced from 700,000 ha to 453,000 ha in the last 50 years.

5. Intense grazing by domestic livestock.

6. Poaching and illegal harvesting of wildlife.

7. Increase in agricultural area, high use of chemical fertilizers pesticides and weedicides, water stagnation, soil erosion, soil salinity, and low productivity.

8. High level of biomass burning causing large-scale indoor pollution.

9. Encroachment on habitat for rail and road construction, thereby fragmenting the habitat.

10. Increase in commercial activities such as mining and unsustainable resource extraction.

11. Degradation of coastal and other aquatic ecosystems from domestic sewage, pesticides, fertilizers, and industrial effluents.

12. Over fishing in water bodies and introduction of weeds and exotic species.

13. Diversion of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses leading to increased river pollution and decrease in self-cleaning properties of rivers.

14. Increasing water requirement leading to tapping deeper aquifers which have high content of arsenic or fluoride resulting in health problems.

15. Disturbance from increased recreational activity and tourism causing pollution of natural ecosystems with wastes left behind by people.

Urbanisation:

The proportion of people in developing countries who live in cities has almost doubled since 1960 (from less than 22% to more than 40%), while in more developed regions the urban share has grown from 61% to 76%. Urbanisation is projected to continue well into the next century. By 2030, it is expected that nearly 5 billion (61%) of the world’s 8.1 billion people will live in cities. India is also a part of this global trend.

India’s urban population has doubled from 109 million to 218 million during the last two decades. As a consequence, cities are facing the problem of expanding urban slums. Cities and towns have become the location of social change and rapid economic development. Urbanisation is associated with improved access to education, employment, and health care; these result in increase in age at marriage, reduction in family size, and improvement in health indices.

As people have moved towards and into cities, information has flowed outward. Better communication and transportation now link urban and rural areas both economically and socially creating an urban-rural continuum of communities with improvement in some aspects of lifestyle of both. The ever increasing reach of mass media has made information readily available. This phenomenon has affected health care, including reproductive health, in many ways.

For instance, radio and television programmes that discuss gender equity, family size preference, and family planning options are now reaching formerly isolated rural populations. This can create awareness for services for mothers and children, higher contraceptive use, fewer unwanted pregnancies, smaller healthier families, and lead to more rapid population stabilisation.

However, the rapid growth of urban population also poses some serious challenges. Urban population growth has outpaced the development of basic minimum services— housing, water supply, sewerage, and solid waste disposal; increasing waste generation at home, offices, and industries, coupled with poor waste disposal facilities result in rapid environmental deterioration. Increasing automobiles add to air pollution. All these have adverse effect on ecology and health. Poverty persists in urban and peri-urban areas; awareness about the glaring inequities in close urban setting may lead to social unrest.

Rural Population and Their Development:

Over 70% of India’s population still lives in rural areas. There are substantial differences between the states in the proportion of rural and urban population (varying from almost 90% in Assam and Bihar to 61% in Maharashtra). Agriculture is the largest and one of the most important sectors of the rural economy and contributes both to economic growth and employment.

Its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product has declined over the last five decades but agriculture still remains the source of livelihood for over 70% of the country’s population. A large proportion of the rural workforce is small and consists of marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers. There is substantial under employment among these people; both wages and productivity are low. These in turn result in poverty; it is estimated that 320 million people are still living below the poverty line in rural India.

Though poverty has declined over the last three decades, the number of rural poor has in fact increased due to the population growth. Poor tend to have larger families which puts enormous burden on their meagre resources, and prevent them from breaking out of the shackles of poverty. In States like Tamil Nadu where replacement level of fertility has been attained, population growth rates are much lower than in many other States; but the population density is high and so there is a pressure on land.

In States like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, population is growing rapidly, resulting in increasing pressure on land and resulting in land fragmentation. Low productivity of small land holders leads to poverty, low energy intake, and under nutrition, and this, in turn, prevents the development, thus, creating a vicious circle. In most of the states, non-farm employment in rural areas has not grown very much and cannot absorb the growing labour force. Those who are getting educated specially beyond the primary level, may not wish to do manual agricultural work.

They would like better opportunities and more remunerative employment. In this context, it is imperative that programmes for skill development, vocational training, and technical education are taken up on a large scale in order to generate productive employment in rural areas. The entire gamut of existing poverty alleviation and employment generation programmes may have to be restructured to meet the newly emerging types of demand for employment.

Rural poor have inadequate access to basic minimum services, because of poor connectivity, lack of awareness, and inadequate and poorly functional infrastructure. There are ongoing efforts to improve these, but with the growing aspirations of the younger, educated population, these efforts may prove to be inadequate to meet the increasing needs both in terms of type and quality of services.

Greater education, awareness, and better standard of living among the growing younger age group population would create the required consciousness among them that smaller families are desirable; if all the felt needs for health and family welfare services are fully met, it will be possible to enable them to attain their reproductive goals, achieve substantial decline in the family size, and improve quality of life.

Water Supply:

In many parts of developed and developing world, water demand substantially exceeds sustainable water supply. It is estimated that currently 430 millions (8% of the global population) are living in countries affected by water stress; by 2020, about one-fourth of the global population may be facing chronic and recurring shortage of fresh water.

In India, water withdrawal is estimated to be twice the rate of aquifer recharge; as a result water tables are falling by one to three meters every year; tapping deeper aquifers have resulted in larger population groups being exposed to newer health hazards such as high fluoride or arsenic content in drinking water. At the other end of the spectrum, excessive use of water has led to water logging and increasing salinity in some parts of the country.

Eventually, both lack of water and water logging could have adverse impact on India’s food production. There is very little arable agricultural land which remains unexploited and in many areas, agricultural technology improvement may not be able to ensure further increase in yield per hectare. It is, therefore, imperative that research in biotechnology for improving development of food grain strains that would tolerate salinity and those which would require less water gets high priority.

Simultaneously, a movement towards making water harvesting, storage, and its need based use part of every citizens life should be taken up.

Food Security:

Technological innovations in agriculture and increase in area under cultivation have ensured that so far, food production has kept pace with the population growth. Evolution of global and national food security systems has improved access to food. It is estimated that the global population will grow to 9 billion by 2050 and the food production will double; improvement in purchasing power and changing dietary habits (shift to animal products) may further add to the requirement of food grains.

Thus, in the next five decades, the food and nutrition security could become critical in many parts of the world, especially in the developing countries and pockets of poverty in the developed countries.

Levels and Trends of Fertility in India:

Recent data suggest a clear decline in fertility throughout the country, including in the large north Indian states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan), where since 1971, TFR has declined by 27-28%. Elsewhere, fertility decline has been faster. Compared to rural fertility, urban fertility has declined at a faster pace. The urban TFR has dropped to 2.1 or to a replacement level or less in urban areas of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal.

However, we need to be concerned not just with the level of fertility but with the total size of the population or its annual growth. Therefore, we can take little comfort from the observed decline in the TFR, and must recognize the fact that the annual increase in the total population of the country is likely to exceed about 18 million, higher than in China and equal to the total population of several countries.

However, if the success of the family planning programme is neutralised by the success of the health policies, it is certainly not fair to label the former as a failure. The results of knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) surveys indicating a widespread desire to regulate the size of the family induced an excessive faith in what the supply of services by female health workers or the auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) might achieve.

Levels and Trends of Mortality in India:

The infant mortality rate (IMR) of around 200-225 per 1000 live-births at the time of India’s independence in 1947 has declined to about 40 per 1000 births today. Admittedly, even this figure far exceeds the IMR in China, which has now declined to around 30. Within India, only Kerala, with about 93% of births occurring in institutions and another 6% attended by trained birth attendants, has achieved an even lower IMR of 17.

Elsewhere, the IMR ranges between low 50s in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, and high values between 85 and 98 in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa. Obviously, there is substantial scope and need for a further decline in the present high IMR.

The interstate differentials are evident in life expectancy as well, which in India has risen from about 32 years in the 1940s to nearly 66, 21 years during 2012. The figure for Kerala exceeded 73 years, and Punjab was second with 67 years, whereas Assam and Madhya Pradesh reported nearly 18 years lower than Kerala’s life expectancy.

The slow mortality decline may partly be attributed to the fact that the universal programme of immunisation was initiated only in the mid-1970s. It now covers the entire country but even during 1995-96, 33% of the rural children aged 0-4 had not received BCG and 56 and 45% of the rural children had not received oral polio vaccine and the DPT doses.

There has been some controversy in India that the programme has led to a certain imbalance in the allocation of funds. Critics argue that as a result, the much-needed effort to eliminate malnutrition and to minimise the number and proportion of low birth-weight babies has not received the requisite attention.

Implications of the Levels of Mortality:

There is no doubt that a reduction in the level of infant, child, and maternal mortality and an improvement in the availability of prenatal, natal, and postnatal care would help to lower the ‘high wanted fertility’ or the number of living children desired by couples. Unfortunately, the rural infrastructure is so weak that even today only about 30% of all villages had an all-weather approach road.

The possible efforts of pregnant women to access the health care system to meet crisis situations are frustrated by the inadequacies of road transport and communication, which also discourages the teachers of rural schools to attend to their duties. According to the 1991 Census, 65% of Indian villages had a population of less than 1000 persons and 42 had less than 500 persons each.

The average population of a village in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the two states with a below replacement level of fertility, was 15476 and 2325, much higher than the national average of 1061. The size class of population of a village is an excellent indicator of the size of the rural market, the extent of diversification of economic activities of the population, and also the level of development. The road network integrates villages into the mainstream of the economy and increases the options to access social and economic opportunities and services in the rest of the country.

According to the broad experience of the fertility transition that has occurred in developed countries as well as in the newly industrialised economies of Southeast and East Asia, it is modernisation or westernisation that helps to lower the traditionally high levels of fertility. The process includes high levels (exceeding 75%) of literacy, urbanisation, and industrialisation, and a rise in the status of women. Some recent reviews of the subject have added to these variables the spread of communications and transport as key factors influencing fertility decline.

Implications of the Levels of Fertility:

In an analysis of change in the level of fertility between 1970-72 and 1989-91, the various socio-economic variables (female literacy, urbanisation, infant mortality, percentage of male workers engaged in non-farm activities) in the 16 major states showed no statistically significant association, except for female literacy. However, the values for Kerala seem to contribute a great deal to the association.

Otherwise, one essentially observes two clusters of states. One of the clusters includes the four large North Indian states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) with both a high TFR and low female literacy and the second cluster having moderate levels of both TFR and female literacy.

The sharp decline in the level of fertility in Tamil Nadu without anything like the high level of literacy and low levels of infant and child mortality observed in Kerala, attests to the difficulty of identifying preconditions for fertility decline. Fertility has declined by more than 50% and reached almost three-fourths of the way towards a replacement level of fertility in at least three districts of Gujarat state where the IMR continues to be high and female literacy rates are much lower than even in Tamil Nadu.

These findings do not imply that universal literacy and low infant and child mortality are not worthwhile goals for a society to pursue or that societies can divert resources from the pursuit of these objectives to other issues. They do confirm, however, that it is difficult or impossible to specify the threshold levels of progress in social goals or modernisation that would usher in a sharp fertility decline.

In several discussions, Kerala’s experience is cited as a model to suggest that universal female literacy, low infant mortality, and a high status of women, summarised as social development, would help to accelerate fertility transition. However, the important role of international migration to the Gulf countries as a means of escaping the poverty trap and the associated rise in the aspirations of living desired for the family and the children is often underestimated.

Likewise, the history of matriarchal tradition in Kerala is often cited as indicating the high status enjoyed by Kerala women. However, the evidence on the subject is by no means clear. The key word at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) at Cairo was empowerment of women. However, the concept of empowerment is difficult to translate. The NPP 2000 has stressed the need for ending discrimination against girls during childhood and early adolescence and against women during the childbearing period in order to improve their health and nutrition. Legal action is certainly not enough. Many laws enacted by our progressive legislatures continue to be violated with impunity in large parts of India.

Determinants of Declining Mortality:

The main reasons responsible for the decline in mortality rate are as under:

1. Decline in Epidemics:

In India, systematic efforts are being made to reduce the incidence of epidemics like plague, malaria, etc.

2. Urbanisation of Population:

Majority of population has migrated to towns. In 2011 Census, about 31% of the total population was in towns as compared to 28% in 1991. Moreover, development of medical and sanitary conditions has also reduced the death rate.

3. Late Marriages:

The late marriages have been encouraged in the country. Laws regarding marriages have been vigorously enforced.

4. More Medical Facilities:

Medical facilities in the country are going on to develop rapidly.

5. Spread of Education:

The literacy ratio in the country has been increasing at an equal interval. People have more resources and better facilities to nourish their children.

6. Change in Habits:

Habits of the people are also changing. Now they have more care for their health which has led to a decline in death rate.

7. Decline in Social Evils:

In India, various social evils like caste system, superstition, etc. are steadily being rooted out. This has also led to the decline in the death rate.

8. Balanced Diet:

People are getting better and balanced diet.

Essay # 3. Age and Sex Structure:

Currently, nearly half of the global population is below 25 years of age and one sixth is in the age group 15-24. In developed countries the reproductive age group population is relatively small; their fertility is low and the longevity at birth is high. Population profiles of these countries resemble a cylinder and not a pyramid. These countries have the advantages of having achieved a stable population but have to face the problems of having a relatively small productive workforce to support the large aged population with substantial non-communicable disease burden.

Some of the developing countries have undergone a very rapid decline in the birth rates within a short period. This enabled them to quickly achieve population stabilisation but they do face the problems of rapid changes in the age structure and workforce which may be inadequate to meet their manpower requirements. In contrast, the population in most of the developing countries, including India, consist of a very large proportion of children and persons in the reproductive age.

Because of the large reproductive age group (Population momentum) the population will continue to grow even when replacement level of fertility is reached (couples having only two children). Age statistics form an important component of population analysis, as most of the analysis is based on age-sex structure of the population.

The usefulness of age data is more noticeable when it is cross classified by variables like marital status, literacy, educational attainment, and economic activity which vary with age in different patterns. Apart from purely demographic concerns, the age-sex data structure is required for age specific analysis of data for planning, scientific, technical, and commercial purposes.

The dependency ratio, which is the ratio of economically active to economically inactive persons, is dependent on age composition. India has one of the largest proportions of population in the younger age groups in the world. 31.2% of the population of the country has been in the age group 0-14 years. Census 2001 data on marital status of persons show that out of over a billion population of the country, 513 million (49.8%) have reported as ‘Never married’, mainly due to high proportion of young people. The ‘Married’ constitute about 45.6% of the total population.

Essay # 4. Sex Ratio in India and Its Determinants:

The sex ratio of India has shown improvement during last two decades. Sex ratio, as per the recent Census is 940 which is largely comparable to the best performance (941 in 1961) in last fifty years. Several steps, including gender equality awareness campaigns were taken by the government to arrest the trend of declining sex ratio.

State Wise Comparison with All India Averages:

The lowest sex ratio among the States has been recorded in Haryana (877), Jammu & Kashmir (883), and Sikkim (889). Among the UTs, the lowest sex ratio has been returned in Daman & Diu (618), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (775), and Chandigarh (818). Among the major States, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, and Gujarat have experienced a fall in the sex ratio. The decline ranged from 2 points in Gujarat to 9 points in Jammu & Kashmir.

Other smaller Union Territories showing steep decline are Dadra & Nagar Haveli (37 points) and Daman and Diu (92 points). Perceptible increase has been observed in the major states such as Uttar Pradesh. It is interesting to note that states having historically low sex ratio such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh have shown appreciable increase in the sex ratio in Census 2011 with Chandigarh and Delhi showing an improvement of more than 40 points compared to 2001.

Majority of the states identified as gender critical for special attention and intervention as part of the Census 2011 have shown increasing trend in the sex ratio as per the provisional results.

Essay # 5. Growth Rate of Population in India:

1. Growth during 1891 to 1921 :

The growth of population in India can be properly studied in three distinct phases. During the first phase of 30 years, i.e., from 1891 to 1921, the size of population in India increased from 23.6 crore to 25.1 crore, i.e., by 1.5 crore, showing the annual compound growth rate of only 0.19 per cent per annum. But the average annual growth rate of population gradually increased from 0.30 per cent in 1901 to 0.50 percent in 1911 and then attained a negative growth rate of -0.03 per cent in 1921.

2. Growth during 1921-51 :

During the second phase of 30 years, i.e., from 1921 to 1951, India’s population increased from 25.1 crore to 36.1 crore, i.e., by 11 crore and the annual compound growth rate during this second phase was 1.22 per cent. But the annual average growth rate of population in India gradually increased from 1.06 per cent in 1931 to 1.34 per cent in 1941 and then slightly declined to 1.26 per cent in 1951.

3. Growth during 1951-81:

During the third phase of 30 years, i.e., from 1951-1981, the size of population in India increased from 36.1 crore in 1951 to 68.3 crore in 1981, i.e., by 32.4 crore and the annual compound growth rate during the period was 2.15 per cent. Besides, the annual average growth rate of population in India increased from 1.98 per cent in 1961 to 2.20 per cent in 1971 and then to 2.25 per cent in 1981.

4. Growth during 1981-2011 :

Again as per 1991 census report, the total size of population in India increased to 84.4 crore in 1991 showing an annual average growth rate of 2.11 per cent which is slightly less than the previous decade. The decadal growth rate of population which was 24.7 per cent in during 1971-81 and then finally declined slightly to 24.8 per cent during 1981-91.

As per provisional census figure of 2001, the total population of India as on 1st March, 2001 stood at 102.70 crore. The decadal growth rate of population which was 23,8 per cent during 1981-91, gradually declined to 21.34 per cent in 1991-2001, showing a decadal increase of population to the extent of 18.3 crore. The annual average growth rate of population in India during 1991-2001 stood at 1.93 per cent.

As per provisional population totals of census 2011 the total population of India as on 1st March 2011 Stood at 121.07 crore. The decadal growth rate of population which was 21.34 per cent during 1991-2001, gradually declined to 17.70 per cent during 2001-2011, showing a decadal increase of population to the extent of 18.19 crore.

Thus as it was expected, that the rate of growth of population in India would decline significantly in response to country’s family planning programme. But it has not come true. At present India is passing through the second stage of demographic transition and thus facing a serious ‘population explosion’.

This population explosion itself reflects the cause and consequences of underdevelopment character of the economy. Thus although India experienced a sharp fall in the death rate due to its substantial expansion of hospital and medical facilities but the rate of growth of population in the country remained still high mainly due to its high birth rate.

Table 6.1 reveals that in 1891, total population of India was 23.6 crore and then it subsequently increased to 25.1 crore in 1921, 36.1 crore in 1951, 54.8 crore in 1971, 68.3 crore in 1981 and then to 84.4 crore in 1991. The size of population on 1st March 2001 was 102.7 crore and then it further increased to 121.07 crore in 2011.

Essay # 6. Factors Contributing to the High Growth Rate of Population:

Biological Factors:

1. Sharp Fall in Death Rate:

In India the death rate has fallen sharply during the first half of the twentieth century, i.e., from 42.6 per thousand in 1901-11 to 12.8 per thousand in 1951-61. Various factors are responsible for this sharp fall in death rate. Kingsley Davis mentioned that, “The causes of decline in Indian mortality are harder to establish than the fact itself.”

However, the factors which have largely contributed to this sharp fall in the death rate include removal of famines leading to eradication of starvation death, control of epidemics arising through cholera and small pox, decline in the incidence of malaria and tuberculosis and some other factors like improvement of public health measures like drinking water supply, improved hygienic and sanitation facilities and the improvement of medical and hospital facilities.

Thus all these factors had led to sudden and phenomenal fall in the death rate in recent years, i.e., to 7.0 per thousand in 2013 and this is considered as the most important factor for this high rate of growth of population in India.

2. No Substantial Fall in the Birth Rate:

During the first half of the present century, the birth rate in India did not fall substantially. The birth rate in India declined marginally for 49.2 per thousand in 1901-11 to 41.7 in 1951-61 and then to 21.8 per thousand in 2011.

Due to this maintenance of birth rate to a very high level, the rate of growth of population in India remained all along high. Moreover, due to tropical climate, puberty of women in India starts at an early age leading to a large number of births.

3. Accelerating Natural Growth Rate:

The most important factor which is responsible for the high rate of growth of population is its accelerating natural growth rate. This has resulted from the wide gap between the birth rate and death rate of population in India. The factor which is again responsible for this wide gap is the sudden and phenomenal fall in the death rate no substantial fall in the birth rate.

Due to remarkable advance in medical sciences along with the improvement and expansion of public health and medical facilities, the death rate in India has come down from 27.4 per thousand in 1951 to above 9.0 per thousand in 1996.

But the birth rate of Indian population still remained as high as 27.4 per thousand in 1996. All these had led to a severe increase in the natural growth rate of population from 12.5 per thousand in 1951 to 25.3 per thousand in 1971 and then slightly declined to 14.7 per thousand in 2011.

Social Factors:

1. Universality of Marriage:

Marriage is almost universal in India as it is a religious and social necessity of the country. Parents feel that it is their social obligation to arrange marriages for the daughters. Thus presently in India, about 76 per cent of women of their reproductive age are married and by attaining the age of 50 only 5 out of 1,000 Indian women remain unmarried. Hence, this has resulted a very high birth rate.

2. Practice of Early Marriage:

Practice of early marriage is very much common in various parts of the country and the average age of marriage is still around 18 years. Between the ages of 15 to 20 years, more than 8 out of every 10 girls got married in India. Thus the practice of empty marriage raises the span of reproductively. Some reduction of fertility would be possible if the average age of marriage of Indian women can be raised to 25 or more.

3. Illiteracy:

In India, illiteracy is widespread as a significant portion of Indian population and women in particular are still illiterate. The literacy rate among the women in India is only 65.4 per cent as against 82.1 per cent among men and the incidence of female illiteracy is comparatively much higher in backward states.

It has been observed by most of the economists that spread of education alone can change the attitudes of the people towards marriages, family, birth of a child etc. and help the people to shed irrational ideas and religious superstitions.

There is an inverse correlation between the spread of education and fertility. The findings of the Operations Research Group Survey show that birth rates in general are lower and adoption of family planning norms become more popular in those states where education is more widespread.

Further, due to lack of education, the response of rural population in respect of adoption of family planning norms and use of contraceptives are not at all encouraging.

4. Religious and Social Attitudes:

Religious and social attitudes of the Indian people induce to prefer large families. The idea to have sons and daughters for performing religious rites and to earn religious merit is still very much common in Indian society.

As Mamdani observed, “Marriage vows and blessing put emphasis on the good fortune of having many children………………. Sanctions against childless women further underline the necessity of children.” Moreover, social attitudes towards unmarried men and women and childless couple are not very encouraging. Further, the existence of joint family system induces thoughtlessness about the number of children.

5. Ignorance and Lack of Conscious Family Planning:

People of India are very much ignorant about the biology of reproduction, need for birth control and devices of birth control. In India, there is also lack of conscious family planning along-with lack of birth control devices, more particularly in the rural areas. That is why the Family Planning Programme in India could not do much headway in reducing the birth rate.

6. Other Factors:

Various other factors, viz., tropical climate, existence of polygamy, higher widow remarriages etc. are responsible for this high rate of growth of population in India. Moreover, growing immigration of population from the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal etc. is also raising the growth rate of population in India to a considerable extent.

This problem of immigration is very much acute in Assam and north-eastern states, West Bengal and Bihar. This has been creating the problem of influx of population within the country besides raising a threat towards national security.

Essay # 7. Population Projection for India (2001-2026):

Population projection is a scientific attempt to peep into the future population scenario, conditioned by making certain assumptions, using data relating to the past available at that point of time. Assumptions used and their probability of adhering in future, forms a critical input in this mathematical effort.

Predicting the future course of human fertility and mortality is not easy, especially when looking beyond in time as medical and health intervention strategies, food production and its equitable availability, climatic variability, sociocultural setting, politico economic conditions, and a host of other factors influence population dynamics, making it difficult to predict the growth with certainty. Therefore, caution must be exercised while making or using the population projections in the context of various conditions imposed.

The Component Method is the universally accepted method of making population projections because growth of population is determined by fertility, mortality, and migration rates. Twenty-one States have been considered and applied the Component method. They are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

pThe projection of the seven north-eastern states (excluding Assam) has also been carried out as a whole. For the State of Goa and six Union territories, Mathematical Method has been applied. The data used are 2001 Census and Sample Registration System (SRS). SRS provides time series data of fertility and mortality, which has been used for predicting their future levels.

Critical Demographic Issues:

The salient features of the population projections at the national level, and some of the underlying assumptions in this regard, are as under:

1. The population of India is expected to increase from 1029 million to 1400 million during the period 2001-2026—an increase of 36% in twenty- five years at the rate of 1.2% annually. As a consequence, the density of population will increase from 313 to 426 persons per square kilometer.

2. The crude birth rate will decline from 23.2 during 2001-05 to 16.0 during 2021-25 because of falling level of total fertility. In contrast, the crude death rate is expected to fall marginally due to changing age structure of the population with the rising median age as a result of continuing decline in fertility and increase in the expectation of life at birth. It will drop from 7.5 during 2001-05 to 7.2 during 2021-25.

3. The infant mortality rate of the country, which is reported to be 63 in 2002, is expected to go down to 40 by the end of the period 2021-25.

4. Between 2001 and 2026, because of the declining fertility, the proportion of population aged under 15 years is projected to decline from 35.4 to 23.4%; the proportion of the middle (15-59 years) and the older ages (60 years and above) are set to increase considerably.

With the declining fertility, along with the increases in life expectancy, the number of older persons in the population is expected to increase by more than double from 71 million in 2001 to 173 million in 2026—an increase in their share to the total population from 6.9 to 12.4%. The proportion of population in the working age group 15-59 years is expected to rise from 57.7% in 2001 to 64.3% in 2026.

5. Another important consequence of the declining fertility will be that, at the national level, the population in the school-going age of 5-14 years is expected to decline from 243 million in 2001 to 222 million in 2026. The share of the population aged 5-14 years to total population of all ages is expected to decrease by 5% from 24% in 2001 to 19% in 2011 and by 3% between 2011 to 2026 (19 to 16%).

6. The youth population in the age group 15-24 years is expected to increase from 195 million in 2001 to 224 million in 2026. Its proportion to total population is expected to fall from 19% in 2001 to 16% in 2026.

7. The average Indian will be expected to be of 31 years old in 2026 compared to 23 years old in 2001.

8. Out of the total population increase of 371 million between 2001 and 2026, the share of the workers in the age group 15-59 years in this total increase is 83%. This has implication in the productivity of labour in future.

9. The sex ratio of the total population (females per 1000 males) is expected to decrease (i.e., become less feminine) from 933 in 2001 to 930 during 2026.

10. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is expected to decline from 2.9 during 2001-2005 to 2.0 during 2021-25. The assumption is that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) would decline steadily and would touch the floor value of 1.8 in some states. With this, the weighted TFR is projected to reach the replacement level of 2.1 by the period 2021.

11. The urban population in the country, which is 28% in 2001, is expected to increase to 38% by 2026. The urban growth would account for over two-thirds (67%) of total population increase by 2026. Out of the total population increase of 371 million during 2001-2026 in the country, the share of increase in urban population is expected to be 249 million.

12. The demographic projections suggest that by 2026, the population of India will reach 1,384 million.

State Level Demographic Projections:

Considerable variation in the demographic growth amongst the States has been estimated.

The salient features of the projections at the state level are as under:

1. The State, which is expected to have least growth in the quarter century (2001-2026) is Tamil Nadu (15%), followed by Kerala (17%). In contrast, Delhi will have the highest projected growth of 102% during 2001-2026. States, which will have projected growths in the range of 20-30% are Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

The population in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh is projected to increase by 40-50% during 2001-2026, which is above the national average of 36%. The population of Uttar Pradesh is expected to be highest among all the states of the country at almost 249 million in 2026.

2. Of the projected increase in population of 371 million in India during 2001-26,187 million is likely to occur in the seven States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttaranchal (termed as BIMARU states, since it was so before division). Thus, nearly 50% of India’s demographic growth during this period of twenty five years, is projected to take place in these seven states. 22 % of the total population increase in India of 371 million during 2001-26 is anticipated to occur in Uttar Pradesh alone.

The population in these seven states together is expected to grow at 1.5% per annum during 2001-26. In contrast, the contribution of the four southern states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, to the total increase in population size of the country during 2001-2026 is expected to be 47 million—13% of total demographic growth of the country. The population in these four states together is expected to grow at 0.8% per annum during 2001-26.

3. Continuing decline in fertility and increase in the expectation of life at birth is expected to make a difference to the proportion of older population (60 years and above) between states. The State of Kerala, where lower fertility and mortality rates have been achieved earlier than the other states, the proportion of older persons aged 60 years and above is expected to increase from 11% in 2001 to 18% in 2026.

Thus, almost every sixth individual in Kerala is expected to be a senior citizen by 2026. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh is expected to have an increase of the proportion of old age population from 6% in 2001 to 10% in 2026, implying that the population of Uttar Pradesh will be expected to be relatively younger compared to that of Kerala. The median age of population in Kerala is expected to go up from 28 years in 2001 to 38 years in 2026. In contrast, the median age in Uttar Pradesh is expected to go up from 19 years to 27 years.

4. Because of declining fertility level in all the states, the crude birth rates (CBR) will also be declining. By 2021-25, except Uttar Pradesh, no state is expected to have a crude birth rate of 20 and above. The highest CBR of 20.5 per thousand is expected to be in Uttar Pradesh followed by Madhya Pradesh (18.0) during 2021-25.

Assam, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttaranchal are expected to have CBRs in the range of 16.5-17.6, close to the projected national level of 16.0. In most of the other states, the CBRs will be in the range 12-15. Kerala will be expected to have the least CBR of 12.3 followed by Tamil Nadu (12.5) during 2021-25.

5. In contrast to the CBRs, the situation is expected to be different in case of crude death rates (CDR). Because of increase in the expected proportion of ageing, in some of the states namely, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and North Eastern Region, the crude death rates are likely to increase during 2021-25.

6. The infant mortality rate (IMR) is expected to decline in all the states during 2001-25. The IMR, which was highest in Orissa in 2002 at 87 is expected to come down to 52 in 2021-25, followed by Madhya Pradesh (51). Other states, where IMRs are expected to be in the range of 40-50 during 2021-25 are Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh. The lowest IMR is expected to be in Kerala, from 12 in 2001-05 to 8 during 2021-25. It will be followed by Delhi with IMR declining from 25 in 2001-05 to 18 during 2021-25.

7. In so far, as the projected sex ratio is concerned, it is observed that in some of the northern states, the population is expected to be more masculine, that is, the ratio will decrease in 2026. Lowest sex ratio of 789 is expected to be in Delhi in 2026, followed by 839 and 840 in Haryana and Punjab respectively. In the southern and eastern states except Kerala, the situation would be reverse. In Kerala, where there are excess females than males the trend would remain the same in 2026. Tamil Nadu is the other state, where the number of females is expected to be equal to the number of males in 2026.

Essay # 8. Population Projection in India by 2050 :

United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) has projected the size of population of India and other countries by 2050 and the figures are released in its report ‘State of World Population 2008’. The report reveals that India whose population is growing by 1.5 per cent, will have 165.8 crore people against China’s 140.8 crore by 2050.

Accordingly, India will become the most populous country overtaking China by 2050.

The total fertility rate in India is 2.78 per cent which it is 1.73 in China where the population of growing by 0.6 per cent. The population of Pakistan will also increase from the current figure of 16.7 crore to 29.2 crore by 2050. The population of Bangladesh will increase from 16.1 crore to 25.4 crore by 2050. However, the population of Sri Lanka would witness negative growth as its present population will decline from 1.94 crore to 1.87 crore by 2050.

Some other Asian countries who are projected to be having negative growth include Japan and Korea. The population and U.S.A will increase from 30.8 crore at present to 40.2 crore by 2050. However, the World population will increase from 647 crore at present to 919 crore by 2050. The major chunk of the population growth will be recorded in less developed countries.

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Population Essay

Introduction to Population

Population is a very interesting topic to learn. There is no denying the fact that the population of any country is a very strong indicator of how exactly the country will function in the future and what its capabilities are as a nation. Leaders of the world pay a lot of attention to their country’s population for the same reason. The population and the skills that they possess are perhaps some of the most essential assets for any country. The following article is an essay on the topic of population and has been structured in a way that students of all ages can learn and understand the key points that they need to mention whenever they are writing an essay like this.

Brief on Population

When we talk about a country’s population, we are talking about a lot of things. We are talking about its future workforce, the people that will build the country as a place to live and grow in, we definitely are talking about the future of the entire country. Taking India’s example, when we talk about the population of the country, we are talking about the future of the dream that our freedom fighters dreamt for us as a nation. Together, the entire population of a country has the potential to change the entire landscape of the kinds of work, and jobs that they do.

The population of a country is responsible for the economical changes and growth in the country and hence is very important. It is also very important to take care of this population. The population needs the right kind of food, healthy environment to grow in and a great and comfortable lifestyle right from the start. Is that something that is possible for everyone? We all know the answer to this. In a country like India, where income disparities are massive, there is no chance for every single section of the population to have a good lifestyle right from the start that can help them grow as individuals.

The same applies for other countries as well. Every country has an income disparity among the people that live in it and this is what makes the topic of population so interesting. We already know that it is the biggest asset that any country can have, but every country must plan and strategize well to take care of this population so that every single need is being fulfilled. This not only helps the country flourish as a whole, but also increases its chances of becoming successful in the future.

Population Explosion

The current population of India is around 140 crores. According to certain reports, in the next few years, there will be a solid growth of population in India, and globally too.

The population is the total number of human beings living in a city or the country. It allows knowing how much resources are required by this population to fulfil and other plans needed. Year by year, there has been an explosion of population, which is making it difficult to provide resources to every person living in the country. Low literacy, early marriage and demand for family growth are some of the reasons behind the explosion of the population. India is the primary ground of population explosion. It covers 17% of the population of the world and is the most populated country.

Reasons Behind the Growth of the Population

There are many reasons for the growth of the population. The low literacy rate is one of the reasons behind this explosion. For example, in India, the literacy rate is relatively low in many states. Many people living in the village fail to complete education and have less knowledge about birth control. They keep on expanding their family.

Moreover, they do not carry much knowledge about birth control techniques or medication. This lack of understanding further leads to a population explosion.

Another primary reason behind the growth of population is child marriage. The custom of child marriage is still followed in many parts of the country. Parents marry off their daughter at an early age, and at a young age, these girls get pregnant. This process continues for a long time.

One of the reasons behind this growth is there are not strict laws in India, unlike other countries. This also makes it hard for citizens to get an equal share of resources.

Impact of Population Explosion

Population explosion causes harm, not only to citizens of the country, but also nature. Increase in population means the need for more space to live, resulting in deforestation. Many cities have lost the green zone to fill it with urban living. Deforestation is leading to the extinction of species and other resources. Animals are losing their homes, which makes them encroach on cities taking the lives of people.

Subsequently, an increase in population is also leading to population. More and more people are buying vehicles for their convenience, which is resulting in pollution. Massive traffic, congestion on roads and other negative scenes are witnessed in cities.

Population increase also calls for industrialization, which invites pollution in all areas. A country like India is now witnessing a massive problem of pollution and global warming.

Irregular distribution of food to all populations is another significant impact. Many families in rural areas do not get proper food to eat. Many poor kids go to sleep without eating food. This irregular distribution of food is not the scenario only in India, but other developing countries.

How to Control the Population?

One of the ways to control the population is to educate people about its ill effects on the country's resources. Government, along with NGOs, need to visit every rural area of the country to inform people about population control.

Providing birth control kits, education to kids and monetary benefits to families successful in restricting birth can do the needful.

We, humans, often forget how we are going to suffer if the population keeps exploding. If the number keeps rising, then it will be difficult to survive. Citizens need to understand the negative impact of the population explosion. Taking the right measures and keeping the resources in mind will help to control the population.

FAQs on Population Essay

1. How can the population affect climate change?

A growing population can have a significant impact on climate change. The buildup of human-generated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is one of the effects of increasing human population. According to one study, there is a deep relationship between population growth and global warming. One child can produce 20 times more greenhouse. Similarly, a child born in the US will add up to 9441 carbon dioxide. This is certainly the most chilling effect of increasing population.

Global warming is the most common fear for today and the coming generation. To stop its growth, controlling the population is essential.

2. How population growth affects the environment?

There is a direct impact of population on the environment. More the population, the more resources are needed. There is a requirement that more space means more deforestation. Population growth also leads to an increase in greenhouse gases, which can affect this planet earth.

Rising sea levels in the coastal region are seen, which eventually leads to flooding. Like these, there are many impacts on the environment due to population growth. In many cities in developing countries, there is a shortage of space. People are not able to find space to live. Moreover, they find it hard to get clean water and are exposed to air pollution and other environmental issues.

3. Will the population increase post-lockdown?

According to the UN report, India will witness a baby boom post-lockdown. The report said, "The pandemic could strain health care capacities for mothers and newborns.” There is an estimate of 116 million babies to be born post-lockdown. The case is not just about India, but China (13.5 million births), Nigeria (6.4 million) and Indonesia (4 million). Post-lockdown, it could be a testing time for developing countries on how the population will affect resources.

4. What are some things that shall be considered while writing an essay on the topic of “Population”?

Whenever you are writing an essay on this topic, make sure that you are highlighting points like how population grows, the impact of this growth, ways to control population and the reasons why population of a country is so important. Once this is done and when you have an idea of what you need to be writing about, start building upon these points. By simply doing this, you will be able to write a brilliant essay.

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The Big Picture – Population: Boon or Bane?

22 Jun 2019
12 min read
GS Paper - 1
GS Paper - 2
Population and Associated Issues
Human Resource
Issues Arising Out of Design & Implementation of Policies
Salient Features of Indian Society

According to estimates in a recently released United Nations report, India is expected to add 273 million people by the year 2050. The report stated that in the year 2019, India has an estimated population of 1.37 billion and China, 1.43 billion and by the year 2027, India’s population is projected to surpass China’s, making India the most populous nation in the world .

30 years down the line, the global population is projected to increase by another 2 billion people by the year 2050, (from 7.7 billion in 2019 to 9.7 billion). The report has highlighted higher fertility rates, growing older population and migration as few reasons behind projections of the population growth.

Health economists claim that the major implications of population growth will be for the young population that will face a situation of lack of resources in the future.

Implications of Population Growth

The poorest wealth quintile has a TFR of 3.2 children per woman.
The second lowest wealth quintile has a TFR of 2.5 children per woman.
The richest wealth quintile has a TFR of 1.5 children per woman.
This shows that population growth is more concentrated in economically weaker sections of society .
Population growth acts as a hurdle in addressing effectively the problem of poverty, hunger and malnutrition and also in providing the better quality of health and education.
SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 4 are going to be affected adversely because of India’s existing pattern of growth in the population.
Presently, India is producing around 25 million job seekers in the country, however, the country is able to provide jobs only to 7 million. This gap of 18 million is increasing the burden of unemployment and underemployment in the country, turning a demographic dividend into a demographic disaster.
In the 19th century, when Europe had a demographic explosion, it had occupied America, Australia etc. India does not have another landmass to occupy and the available landmass cannot take this population growth.

Demographic Dividend

India has many young people who are unskilled, unemployable, burden on services and facilities with the minimal contribution.
In a country, young population is a demographic dividend if the youth is skilled, employable and contributing to the economy.
Total fertility rate (TFR) in simple terms refers to the total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime if she were subject to the prevailing rate of age-specific fertility in the population.
TFR of about 2.1 children per woman is called Replacement-level fertility. This value represents the average number of children a woman would need to have to reproduce herself by bearing a daughter who survives to childbearing age.
If replacement level fertility is sustained over a sufficiently long period, each generation will exactly replace itself without any need for the country to balance its population.
The challenge is not about how to contain the population but about how the government exploits the population growth to its best economic advantages i.e. how the government trains this large young population to make it productive, effective, competent and contributing to the economic growth.
For this, the government needs to take necessary steps in creating the economic growth momentum by ensuring that investments are adequately made in key infrastructure areas, particularly social infrastructure like education, water and health so that a demographic dividend does not become a demographic liability or disaster.
The requirement of creating so many jobs will not be a challenge if the economy starts growing at a faster rate.
Recently the government has launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme .
The Prime Minister has also set a target of raising the economy’s size to 5 trillion dollar by the year 2024. This is necessary to mitigate the negative impact of this kind of population growth where the share of older people is rising pretty rapidly.
The growth for older people is 370% from 2019 to 2050 , whereas the total population is growing only by 56%. Therefore, the burden of older people in the economy needs to be contained.
The countries like China and Japan who have been able to control their population through various measures are able to manage people in the older age through enough social security provisions for such people, enabling old aged people for managing on their own.
At the population level, different states are growing at different pace, thus each of them show different signs of population stress. It needs to be seen that why states in the South are better off in containing population than states in the North and east.

Is containing population a solution?

China went about containing its population growth in a coercive way. India tried to experiment the same during the emergency period.
The experiment faced negative reaction and has not been taken up by any government thereafter.
There has been an improvement in bringing down the child mortality, infant mortality ratio and in increasing the life expectancy of the people in the country. On the one hand, if the total fertility ratio does not decrease and on the other hand, there remains improvement in healthcare and other benefits, India will have a population explosion leading to a demographic disaster.
It has been seen that women have more children than what their bodies can actually bear.
It is becoming very expensive for the poor and even the middle class to have more than one child or two children.
India still has a high maternal mortality rate and child mortality rate (especially amongst the poorest).
However, aspirations of the younger generation have changed , they want fewer children.

Way Forward

Investments should be made particularly for the old people because by the year 2050, India’s population of old people is going to grow almost 10 times more.
Education should be made free for women till college-level.
Better education will help women in better decision making for family planning.
Unless women are part of the workforce, no society can bring down fertility rates with progress. Therefore, policies must look at the whole issue of declining workforce participation by women.
India needs to focus on some areas which are socially, culturally, economically depressed. I dentification of 140 high focussed districts is the right step by the government in this direction. However, it needs to work in the whole of Bihar, U.P., Madhya Pradesh and Assam.
India needs to give huge stress on declining sex ratios and the discrimination towards girls so that people don’t have a high number of children in the hope of having a boy.
India can achieve a number of SDGs if it links them with family planning. Family planning is a promotive and preventive method for bringing down maternal mortality and child mortality.
It is important to see the issue of population growth not only from the national perspective but also from the state’s point of view i.e. different states need to be encouraged to take necessary steps for containing the population.

The world’s population is poised to decline—and that’s great news

Many of the world's biggest cities are struggling with overpopulation, pollution, and dwindling resources.

Some 18 months ago, the news broke that China’s population was beginning to contract. There was a knee-jerk reaction from business commentators who were wringing their hands eagerly over the implications this will have on China’s economic forecast and its place in the world—namely that fewer people will result in less consumption, ultimately slower growth, and thus alter the trajectory of its rise.

To quote a report from the Brookings Institute , “Any sense of Western defeatism based on fears about the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) economic and strategic rise should be tempered with the many constraints affecting that country, beginning with its demographics.” Beyond betraying the geopolitical fears of the West, this sentiment also exposes a perverse and intellectually dishonest economic logic.

Fast forward to today, and we are seeing the same response to the news that India’s population is beginning to decrease. One recent headline in Asia Nikkei states, “India fertility fall puts policymakers on clock to avoid Japan-like strain.” Why on Earth would a country bursting at its seams have to worry about its population leveling out?

Yet in these same publications, one might see headlines related to curbing climate change, resource constraints, large-scale pollution, and mass extinction. These challenges are directly related to the number of people on the planet and the fixation on the perpetual growth model: as if the only way to manage an economy and to allow everyone access to a decent life is through their participation in wasteful and destructive mass consumption.

Should we really view population decrease as a risk for a country’s economic future or celebrate it?

Population stabilization is an opportunity to redefine the very purpose of the economy on a planet faced with existential threats. No longer should economic function be narrowly associated with the creation of more wealth under the unproven fallacy that without unbridled growth, everything comes to a halt. It is an opportunity to create new and much-needed economic theories and norms that accord with the limits to growth, as common sense should make crystal clear.

The truth is that we should not let economists drive the agenda on the population-growth-resources trifecta. Our global thirst for never-ending growth—predicated on the archaic view of “rational economic man”—has created the defining existential threats of our time, including environmental degradation and numerous societal traumas. In this context, conversations around population can be sensitive. Who is to “blame” enters the subtext very quickly.

Thus, if we are willing to understand the nature of these threats and not be in denial, we should see population contraction as a good thing. After all, it is not resulting from our wars, pandemics, or famines. It is driven mainly by human progress: education, awareness, women’s rights, shifting societal values, and the economics of the cost of living.

It is also a natural biological phenomenon: The world’s population has tripled in the last 70 years—and will settle into a new dynamic equilibrium as limitations are reached, with an expected ten billion by 2050. The first millennial was born about forty years ago into a world that was half-empty, with a population of 4 billion compared to 8 billion today.

Yet archaic economic theories that recognize no limits and respect no boundaries prevailed, while humans entered an unprecedented period of exponential growth during a period of 40 years—a blink of an eye in human history. Modern classical economics was blind to this or deliberately negligent as its proponents furthered the growth-at-all-cost model rooted in wastage and consumption. Its ideological underpinnings are rooted in European colonial expansion as resources including labor (slaves) were taken for free, stolen, or traded unfairly.

An almost unanticipated opportunity

To date, all the scientific evidence suggests that even before peak population is reached, human-made threats to the planet can result in catastrophic impacts and large-scale collapse of societies.

To prevent a precipitous collapse, the real challenge lies in adapting our economic models to fit this new global reality.

As populations decline and age simultaneously, economies must transition from a quantity-driven growth paradigm to one that values quality of life and rights to basic needs as the most critical indicator of economic success. This shift requires a fundamental rethinking of how goods and services are produced and consumed and for what purpose, rather than further relentless consumption, which is abused and enjoyed by a minority. The political economy will shift to one where the priority is placed on building shared prosperity—meeting basic needs and rights that are still out of the reach of the global majority. A declining global population provides an almost unanticipated opportunity that must be seized.

Businesses will naturally adjust, as they will be compelled to innovate and compete based on new opportunities, including producing superior quality products and services rather than pumping out sheer volume—and even junk—to meet growth targets. This is not a new expectation: such are society’s demands for a more sustainable private sector with higher standards and better customer satisfaction.

Fewer soda cans will be drunk. Less junk food will be eaten. Fewer cars will be sold. Less fossil fuel will be extracted. The world will not be weakened by these disruptions—new jobs will be created just as is argued for the post-fossil fuel era. For anyone with common sense and who does not believe in end-of-history fantasies, these are welcome transitions for societies around the world.

Within mainstream economics, a narrow view of growth takes precedence, highlighting the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of traditional economic thinking. It is all too easy to politely acknowledge existential threats yet demand people to consume more. The current paradigm is fundamentally incapable of devising a new means of approaching the building of societal resilience.

It should be abundantly clear that we cannot consume our way out of the current predicament. After all, a wretched attachment to a consumption-driven perpetual growth model is what got us into the current mess. As we hit the ceiling of resource use, our contracting populations should make that very clear.

Just look at the most crowded parts of the world—megacities that most economists have never stepped foot on or lived in—where the quality of life is dire and worsening. By 2050, Mumbai will reach 42 million. Kinshasa will hit 35 million. Karachi, 31 million. Mexico City, 25 million. Most residents would welcome reduced populations.

With fewer people, these cities may start to become more governable and liveable. A key component of governance will be equalizing the socioeconomic imbalances between cities and rural peripheries—an effort which again flies in the face of traditional economic thinking, in which urbanization for economic hubs is vital for growth, while the hinterland is seen as unproductive except for the extraction of resources.

The public and private sectors will therefore need to rapidly develop products and services tailored to the needs of rural populations, aging populations, and urban poor, such as advanced healthcare, appropriate housing, water and sanitation, and age-friendly infrastructure.

These aren’t charity cases, but new growth areas. Investors will need to adjust to returns that are more responsible and reflective of a new era of purposeful capitalism. This will also allow for the formulation of a well-defined and inclusive social contract where the prices of goods and services come closer to reflecting the true costs and investors can be more assured that profits are not derived from underpriced externalities.

In this context, the free market is not a panacea. Governments will need to wield long-term vision in public policy and incentives to guide more meaningful investment.

The global decline in population should not be feared but embraced as an opportunity to rethink and reshape our economic models for greater equity and resilience. We have scant choice otherwise. As Sir David Attenborough famously once said, “Anyone who thinks you can have infinite growth in a finite environment, is either a madman or an economist.”

Let us not permit either to foster fear as populations decline and instead celebrate the great transition to an economic approach that is not at war with the natural and social systems that sustain us.

More must-read commentary published by Fortune :

An economic catastrophe is lurking beneath Russia’s GDP growth as Putin ‘throws everything into the fireplace’
The ‘sustainability recession’ will end soon—and not by choice
‘Godmother of AI’ says California’s well-intended AI bill will harm the U.S. ecosystem
Clichés, exaggerations, overstatements: Our analysis of 23,000 annual reviews shows top performers get the worst feedback

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune .

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Explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical plant in India kill at least 18 workers

Relatives of the victims killed in a fire triggered by an explosion at the Escientia Advanced Sciences Private Ltd., a pharmaceutical company, sit outside the factory, in Atchutapuram, Andhra Pradesh state, India, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo)

Leela Devi, center, with her arms outstretched, wails after hearing of her husband Chiranjeevi’s death in an explosion at the Escientia Advanced Sciences Private Ltd., a pharmaceutical company, outside the mortuary of King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh state, India, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo)

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HYDERABAD, India (AP) — A big explosion triggered a fire at a pharmaceutical plant in southern India, killing at least 18 workers, police said Thursday.

The death toll rose from 15 as three of the 40 injured in the fire Wednesday in the chemical reactor of the plant in Andhra Pradesh state died in hospital on Thursday, police officer M. Deepika said, adding that some of the injured were in critical condition.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported distressing scenes with the skin of several workers peeling off. Ambulances transported them to the hospital.

Officials suspect the fire was caused by an electrical fault at the plant, according to media reports. State authorities have ordered an investigation.

The explosion occurred at the Escientia Company in the Anakapalle district. The plant is about 350 kilometers (220 miles) northeast of Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The 5-year-old company manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

As the news of the blast spread, hundreds of people from families of workers rushed to the plant to find out what happened to their loved ones.

Around 380 employees work two shifts at the plant. Many escaped because they were on lunch break when the explosion started the fire.

The plant is in the state’s special economic zone at Atchutapuram village, which was established in 2009 with over 200 companies. Anakapalli is adjacent to the port city of Vishakhapatnam, a highly industrialized area with many mishaps, including hazardous chemical leakages.

In the most extensive industrial mishap in the region, 22 people were killed when a blast occurred in the refinery of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation in Visakhapatnam in 1997.

Fires are common in India, where builders and residents often flout building laws and safety norms. Some don’t even install firefighting equipment.

In 2019, a fire caused by an electrical short circuit in a New Delhi factory producing handbags and other items killed 43 people.

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Essay on Population Explosion for Students
500+ Words Population Explosion Essay. Population explosion means a sudden increase in the number of individuals in a particular species. The term is used to refer to the world's human population. In India, the Population explosion has become a severe matter of concern because the increase in population leads to poverty and illiteracy.
Population Explosion Essay for Students in English
Essay on Population Explosion. After the Republic of China, India is the most populous country in the world. Presently, India is the second-largest populated country in the world that occupies 2.4% of the world's land area and represents 17.5% of the world's population. This means that one out of six people on this planet is an Indian.
Population Explosion Essay for Students and Children
FAQs about Population Explosion Essay. Q.1 What are the major reason for the population explosion? A.1 The major factors that are responsible for population explosion are illiteracy, reduced mortality, increased birth rate, and an increase in life expectancy. Q.2 What are the major reason for the population explosion in India?
Essay on Population Explosion for Students in English
10 Lines Essay on Population Explosion. Here is a 10-line essay on population explosion. Population explosion is the sudden increase in the population of a region or a county. In India, the period from 1951 to 1981 is known as the period of population explosion. Its causes are high birth rates, reduced mortality rates, and improved healthcare.
Population Explosion Essay
Essay on Population Explosion - Read and learn about Population Explosion Essay in English 100, 200 and 500 words for students to write the best in exam is shared from subject experts on careers360.com. ... 500 Words Essay on Population Explosion. Presently, India accounts for around 17.5% of the total world population (Source: based on ...
Population Explosion
This is four times the population of India when it gained independence in 1947. (34 crore). India is expected to reach 150 crore by 2030 and 166 crore by 2050. Decline in India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR): In 2021, India's TFR fell below the replacement level fertility (2.1 children per woman) to two. India had a TFR of six in the 1950s ...
Population Explosion Essay For Students & Children: 1000 Words
In this article, you will read "Population Explosion Essay" for students and children in 1000 words. It includes meaning, causes, effects, and control tips about population explosion. ... Population Explosion in India. That's what the population explosion looks like. It is the increasing number of people in a selected area.
Essay on Population for Students and Children
In particular, the third world countries suffer the most from population explosion. As it is the resources there are limited and the ever-increasing population just makes it worse. On the other hand, there is a problem of low population in many regions. India population crisis. India faces a major population crisis due to the growing population.
Overpopulation in India: Causes, Effects and Solutions
Go Through world Population Statistics Worldometer. Causes of Overpopulation. Increased Life Expectancy: While the average annual birth rate in India, which was 42 per thousand in 1951-61, decreased to 24.8 per thousand in 2011, the country has seen its decadal death rate decline to 8.5 in 2001-2011 from 42.6 in 1901-1911.Since the death rate has also gone down sharply, the population has ...
(PDF) The population explosion problem in India-Causes, effects and
The population explosion is itself is an economic problem and time it also leads to the social. problems in India also. It influences so many factors like social development, health, hygiene ...
Population and Associated Issues
Economical Aspects. Ageing population: Due to an increase in life expectancy, India's population is ageing. This has increased the percentage of the elderly populace. for example, in 2011, Kerala's share of the populace over 60 years old was 12.6% and Tamil Nadu's was 10.4%.
Population Explosion Essay
Population Explosion Essay: Next to the People's Republic of China, India is the most populous country in the world. According to 2011 Census, India with 1.21 billion people is very close to China's 1.35 billion population. India occupies 2.4% of the world's land area and supports over 17.5% of the world's population, thereby meaning one out of six people on this planet is an Indian.
Population Explosion Essay
Population Explosion Essay | A Critical Analysis | Causes | How We Can Work Together 6. In simple terms, population explosion is defined as the rapid increase in human population over a short period of time. The global human population has exploded in the last century, growing from 1.6 billion in 1900 to more than 7.6 billion today.
Controlling Population: A Double Edged Sword
India is poised at a unique moment in history, where it can exploit its demographic advantage to realise its economic goals. According to the government's population projections, 53.6% of India's population in 2021 is under the age of 29. More than a quarter of India's population is 14 years or younger.
Population Explosion and Fertility Rates
The latest report of 2017 underlined that the TFR has declined from 5.2 to 4.5 between 1971 and 1981 and from 3.6 to 2.2 between 1991 and 2017. Trends vary along the rural-urban divide as well as the literacy levels of women. The SRS reveals that while an "illiterate" woman is likely to give birth to 2.9 children on average, a "literate ...
Population Crisis: Challenges and Way forward
It talks about the Challenges of population growth and suggests a way forward. According to the UN's World Population Prospects 2019 report, India is projected to become the most populous country by 2027 surpassing China and host 1.64 billion people by 2050. Meanwhile, India will have a vast number of young people and insufficient natural ...
Population Explosion in India: Meaning, Causes, Effects, and Control
The effects of population explosion in India are as follows: Over-population: Population explosion may lead to overpopulation, i.e., a condition where population surges to a level that the earth cannot accommodate comfortably, and poses a threat to the environment. ... Essay on Mahavir Jayanti for all Class in 100 to 500 Words in English Essays ...
Population Explosion Essay for Students in Different Lengths
Population Explosion Essay for Students in Different Lengths. Population growth is viewed as a threat to the planet and a burden. India is the world's second-most populous country, after the Republic of China. According to the UN, India has surpassed China's population, making it the world's most populous country in 2024.
Essay on Population Problem in India
The population explosion in India can be attributed to several factors. The primary reason is the high fertility rate, fueled by societal norms that value larger families. ... 500 Words Essay on Population Problem in India Introduction. India, the second most populous country in the world, is facing a significant population problem. As per the ...
Essay on Population in India
The current population of India is 1,342,528,871 (1.34 billion) people and it is the second most populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over 1,415,489,506 (1.41 billion) people. Out of the world's 7 billion people, India represents almost 17.85% of the world's population.
Population Essay for Students in English
Population Explosion. The current population of India is around 140 crores. According to certain reports, in the next few years, there will be a solid growth of population in India, and globally too. The population is the total number of human beings living in a city or the country.
The Big Picture
The report stated that in the year 2019, India has an estimated population of 1.37 billion and China, 1.43 billion and by the year 2027, India's population is projected to surpass China's, making India the most populous nation in the world. 30 years down the line, the global population is projected to increase by another 2 billion people by ...
The world's population is poised to decline—and that's great news
It is also a natural biological phenomenon: The world's population has tripled in the last 70 years—and will settle into a new dynamic equilibrium as limitations are reached, with an expected ...
Explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical plant in India kill at least 18
HYDERABAD, India (AP) — A big explosion triggered a fire at a pharmaceutical plant in southern India, killing at least 18 workers, police said Thursday. The death toll rose from 15 as three of the 40 injured in the fire Wednesday in the chemical reactor of the plant in Andhra Pradesh state died in hospital on Thursday, police officer M ...
(PDF) The population explosion problem in India.
The population explosion is itself is an economic problem and time it also leads to the social. problems in India also. It influences so many factors like social development, health, hygiene ...

Population Explosion Essay

Major Causes of Population Explosion

2. Decrease in Death Rate

3. Early Marriage

4. Religious and Social Reasons

6. Standard of Living

7. Illiteracy

Effects of Population Explosion

2. More Pressure on Land

3. Environmental Degradation

Frequently Asked Questions on Population Explosion Essay

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How is the younger generation affected due to this population explosion?

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Population Explosion – A Stark Reality in India

What is the population explosion?

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What are the causes of population explosion?

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Is India overpopulated?

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