A revised estimate shows that in 2023, India’s population of 142.8 crores will exceed China’s 142.5 crores. The World Population Prospects (WPP) 2022, published by the United Nations, says the global population growth will continue through and will turn negative only after 2086. It is a great relief to note that India would reach the negative level by 2064.
The country cannot remain complacent with these demographic indicators, but it has to reflect the quality of life of the citizens. The first aspect is India’s population density that is 477 people per square kilometre which is eight times higher than the global density. Population density, as an indicator severely limits per capita resource availability, especially land, water, minerals, energy and so on and curtails growth.
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Another area of concern is the relatively young population will slowly erode over the coming decades. From the medium age of the Indian population of 20 years in 1950, at present it remains at 27.9 years (2022) and by the turn of the century it would be 47.5 years. The young contributing work force would cause the economic development to be at a correspondingly lower ebb. The total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.17 births per woman (2021) in India has always exceeded the global average. The TFR in India, if reduced further would help increase more participation of women in income earning activities, reduce inequalities and boost economic growth.
For every 1000 infants born, the death rate as per the findings is 28.77. it is still four to five times higher than that of China and the USA.
And yet it needs enhancement in the nutritive and health status of women and improvement in the availability of medical services and child care, specifically pre-natal care.
In Tamil Nadu, the total fertility rate is 1.8 (2021) and the Infant Mortality Rate is 13, according to National Fertility Health Survey (NFHS).
In Tamil Nadu, Family Planning measures to control population growth were emphasised by the social revolutionary Thanthai Periyar much earlier during the British rule. He made it a public propaganda before family planning had become a government scheme. In Tamil Nadu, appealing for family planning has become a public culture while greeting the wedding couples. Such culture is reflected with significant population control during the past 50 years of Dravidian Model rule in Tamil Nadu. Not only controlling population, but enhancing the quality of life is also equally important for both women and newborn babies.
Health care programmes for women both during their maternity periods and for the babies up to the age of 5 have proved their obvious effect. The service delivery efficiency of these programmes are more noteworthy in comparison to the rest of the States in the country.
Such welfare programmes for women and children implemented by the State Government of Tamil Nadu are already in line with the sustainable development goals of United Nations.
The progressive indicators in Tamil Nadu were due to the track record of effective public health policies since the Justice Party’s rule in the 1920s.
In Tamil Nadu, Family Planning measures to control population growth were emphasised by the social revolutionary Thanthai Periyar much earlier during the British rule. He made it a public propaganda before family planning had become a government scheme. In Tamil Nadu, appealing for family planning has become a public culture while greeting the wedding couples.
All these comparatively better performance in the population control as well as health and welfare measures have historical beginnings of Dravidian Model. The sustained trend still continues at much increased pace in the present rule of Tamil Nadu.
Another area of concern is the trend of discouraging the population control measures by formulating policy at the level of the Union Government. Curtailment in fiscal distribution to the States in proportion to their population figures is not a welcome move. It has been already imposed as a penalty on the performing States as per the national policy objectives.
Besides, Damocles’ sword hangs over the heads of the States that curtailed population growth faster. It has been accepted for the reorganisation of Lok Sabha constituencies on the basis of population strength. The performing States have to lose the number of constituencies as they would not gain further in numbers to represent them in the Parliament. This is the dangerous trend which has to be arrested.
The quality of life of the citizens would increase only through effective population control measures and effective implementation of health care and welfare schemes. Any move and progress attained by the States and Union Territories must only be encouraged and framing of policy of the Union Government has to reflect that spirit. Such trend in policy formulation will sustain the development goals set at national and global levels.
