Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Population growth and India

"In 1979, China’s total fertility rate was 2.8, while Kerala’s was 3. By 2007, 28 years after it forced a coercive one-child policy on its people, China’s fertility rate stood at 1.7. Kerala reached the same figure but without treating its people like laboratory rats. " timesofindia

Roughly 1/6 of all humans are Indians and the population is growing in such a way that it may become 1/5 soon. Government invented many ways to stop this growth, and our Health and family welfare minister recently suggested that rapid electrification of villages, TV and late marriages will stop the population growth. May be there will some logic in that; you may be wondered how TV will stop the population growth. Don't worry ask to the minister.

Its a well known fact that in normal circumstances population will grow exponentially and food production will follow arithmetic progression. Which will ultimately resulting in the wiping out of our remaining forests from the face of earth. May be scientists will find suitable techniques to export humans to other planets so that they can sit some where.

There is no argument on whether we have to stop the population explosion or not. The answer is definitely a 'yes'. But the question is how to do it. The answer lies in education and economic welfare.

But the problem is the fact that India which is also the land of Khajuraho and Kamasutra now considering sex as a taboo and many will hesitate even to talk about it. Along with this the so called protectors of society will create problems in giving sexual education to childs and teenagers. But this didn't stopped the number of rapes and molesting in the society. Each day news papers reporting new rape cases and as the time goes people will be familiar with this issue and our passive(active in the times of reservation issues and vote bank politics only!!!) society may no longer pay any attention to it.

According to UNICEF's state of world's children-2009 report 47% of Indian women aged 20-24 married before the legal age of 18, with 56% in rural areas; it also shows that 40% of world's child marriage occur in India.

This early marriages which happens at a time when children are supposed to play, spoils their childhood. All of a sudden they become housewife and this creates enormous pressure on children(now housewife). This not only results in more children but also hit mother's health.

The other problem is the false belief of people. They think that more and more children means more people to earn and will results in more income. But they forget to think that as the number of children increases their capacity to provide good education and nutritious food too decreases.

As of now we can't export humans to moon or mars. so have to find other ways to control the population growth. For this sexual education should be a part of the curricula along with development taking the driver's seat instead of corruption. It is a well known fact that in the developed(i mean in terms of economy only - who can develop other person's mind?) societies population growth rate is very low. Many developing countries even face the problem of decreasing population.

The other key thing is the literacy of women; even now the literacy of women is low in India. Remember that this is the same India where Gargi and Mithreyi lived.

Anyway minister's suggestion for electricity is good, at least there will be some development. But the key lies in the fact that how far we will be successful in abolishing child marriages, providing sexual education, women empowerment, usage of contraceptives etc. But will the so called protectors of society will allow these things to happen?

Sajeev.

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