World Population Day on 11th July was observed across the globe with many campaigns and events aimed at raising awareness about the rising population and its impact on the earth, environment, and lifestyle. The world currently has over 8.1 billion people and India is the most populated country with over 1.4 billion people.
About the World Population Day
- On 11th July 1987, the global population touched the 5 billion mark which sparked the idea of observing this day as World Population Day. The then senior demographer at the World Bank Dr KC Zachariah proposed the idea which the United Nations accepted.
- The first World Population Day was observed on 11th July 1989.
- The day emphasizes actions for better family planning to reduce the impact on socio-economic development, environment, and people’s well-being. Furthermore, it encourages actions towards gender equality and poverty alleviation. People are also encouraged to adopt sustainable choices and contribute to sustainability efforts.
World Population Trends and Projections
- The population is growing by the day. However, the growth rate has decreased to around 1.1% per year.
- Regional population trend varies. Some countries are witnessing rapid population growth while others are observing a decline. For instance, Nigeria’s population is growing rapidly, while the population in European nations and some Asian countries is decreasing. Even China has recorded a significant population decline.
- However, the global population is predicted to grow by around 2 billion by 2050.
About India’s Population
- According to the UN’s projections, India surpassed China in 2023 and became the world’s most populous nation.
- India, which possesses just 2% of the world’s total land, is home to 1/5th of the global population. The population of the country is increasing but the growth rate has decreased from 1.4% in 2013 to around 1% in 2024. Rising awareness, rapid urbanisation, and successful family planning programmes can be attributed to this declining trend.
- Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar are the most populated states in the country.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Population growth presents challenges and opportunities simultaneously.
- Challenges:
- Scarcity of resources: Population growth leads to a scarcity of resources as they are limited. For instance, a country can face a lack of adequate land, homes, water for all, public facilities, and others.
- Environmental Degradation: To fulfil the needs of a rising population, a nation can take measures to push development and ensure amenities for all. This can result in deforestation, loss of flora and fauna, and an increase in carbon emissions.
- Pressure on Infrastructure: A rise in population can put huge pressure on infrastructure, resulting in the expansion of urban areas. This can cause many other issues such as waste generation.
- Opportunities:
- Human Resources: Population simply means human resources for economic activities. If they are trained well with skills that the industry requires today, they can propel domestic production and push growth. China used its huge population for manufacturing and became a manufacturing hub.
Steps to Curb Population Growth
- Education: Education is a crucial tool that can help control population growth, especially women’s education. It has been observed that educated women tend to have fewer children as compared to uneducated women. They understand the importance of family planning well and also how they can achieve that. India has taken effective measures to promote education such as the Right to Education Act, 2010 and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.
- Access to Healthcare: Providing easy access to healthcare services, particularly reproductive healthcare services, can contribute effectively to promoting family planning. India has been making efforts in this regard through schemes like primary healthcare facilities and ASHA workers.
- Creating Awareness: It could have a vital impact on population growth. The government authorities at all levels, including central, state, and local must consistently emphasise creating awareness through various programmes, initiatives, campaigns, and events. People must be made aware of the benefits of family planning and methods. India has taken some effective measures. The recent one is the Mission Parivar Vikas (MPV) which aims to curb population growth in districts with high fertility rates through family planning programmes.
