The Big Picture - Population: Boon or Bane?

In just eight years, India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country. According to estimates in a new United Nations report released on Monday, India is also expected to add 273 million people by 2050 and will remain the most populated until the end of the century. The report stated that in 2019, India has an estimated population of 1.37 billion and China 1.43 billion and by 2027, India’s population is projected to surpass China’s. The global population is projected to increase by another 2 billion people by 2050, from 7.7 billion in 2019 to 9.7 billion thirty years down the line. The report has highlighted higher fertility rates, growing older population and migration are few reasons for projections of the population growth. Health economists claim that the major implications of population growth will be increase in young and older population that will face a lack of resources in future. On this edition of the big picture we will analyse if India’s booming population is a boon or a bane.

Guest - Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, Population Foundation of India,
A.K. Bhattacharya, Editorial Director, Business Standard,
S.K. Singh, Professor, Department of Mathematical Demography & Statistics, IIPS,
Sushil Chandra Tripathi, Former Secretary Ministry of HRD,

Anchor - Frank Rausan Pereira

[vidushipandey]

I think preparing for civil services examination is the best contraceptive because it delays marriage of young boys and girls to such an extent that they can barely have a kid 😅😂😂😂😂

[rishabhbansal]

Population : Boon or Bane?
Key Highlights :-
- According to recent data India is all set to surpass the population of China by 2027. One of the major reason highlighted by panelists was due to huge migration in India.
- With this rising population the implementation of Sustainable development goals might be hindered and growth rate may also not be uniform.
- In the weaker or poor section of the society growth rate is affected due to hunger or malnutrition.
- Another issue with rising population would be unemployment. Millions of people would be unemployed which would affect the growth of the country.
- Government must know to how to nuture the population for the fruitful growth. Low middle income country to be converted to a high middle income country.
- As our PM Narendra Modi said to raise the Indian economy upto $5 trillion by 2024. To achieve such ambitious goal a huge investment should be made in healthcare and education sectors.
- Gender Dimensions was also highlighted during the discussion.
- In today era the aspirations of young people have changed and they are willing to have less children. Their main focus is on Family planning.
- To sustain our poplution government need to invest more in sustainable development goals.
- Beside this, there is no guarantee that the demographic dividend would lead to economic development.
- Countries like China and Japan are managing their population even at older age bh running various programs.
- Ministry of Health and Resource Development is taking various steps to improve woman living by focusing on edication and impart them with skills.
- Polplution momentum is also a challege.
- Government schemes like Ayushman Bharat are aimed at improving the quality of lofe of people and also to provide social protection.
- Question rises as how you train younh people? How to decrease the dropout rates in the colleges?
- Government aiming to make 140 smart cities is not enough we should focus on the whole states.

Way Forward :-
- Government should find as to why different states are growing differently in terms of population? Why the quality of the living of people in South Indian states are much better than compared to North India states?
- Educayis the best pill which government can provide to utilize the maximum out of the growing population.
- It should also focus on Women Education, workforce and more developmental skills.
- As suggested by one of the panelists that Education of women should be made free till college's.

[RameshKumaralteram]

* According to UN reports, India’s population will surpass china by 2027 and will remain the most populated until this century.

Reasons for population explosion:

* Higher fertility rates
* Growing older population
* Migration

Challenges:

* TFR varies across the societal levels; more concentrated on weaker sections -> implication on poverty, malnutrition, quality of education and health.
* Weaker sections' lack of access to contraceptives and other family planning services.
* Adverse impact of increasing young and older population on the existing resources.
* Demand and supply mismatch in job opportunities -> Unemployment and underemployment -> hurdle in reaping the benefits of 'Demographic dividend’.
* Due to life longevity, senior citizens' quality of life decreases with chronic morbidities.
* Unequal growth of population among States.

Way Forward:

* Factoring the DD by addressing the job and skill mismatch through more investments and skill upgradation.
* Upgrading from low middle income to high middle income country through investments in social infrastructure.
* Empowerment of women and more reaching out on family planning to bringdown maternal and child mortality.
* Inclusive implementation of social protection schemes such as 'Ayushman Bharat' targeting weaker sections is need of the hour.
* Need a comprehensive policy on population to reap its full benefits.
* Addressing sex selection, sex ratio through schemes like BBBP, SSY etc. -> Menace of giving more birth with the expectation of having a boy child.
* Inclusive growth and development is a key to achieve the dream of $5 trillion economy by 2024.

[maratt]

Calm and knowledgeable guests having civil talks, this is the gold standard for any news channel.

[medhamathur]

RS TV is doing a great job. Very relevant discussion 👍

[parultripathi]

The fertility rate has already came down to 2.2, so that's a less concerning area. The real challenge is weeding out poverty, providing education, employment and healthcare services for the existing huge young population and look forward to providing resources for this young population in 2050 when they would be old constituting the 20% of the total population.
Also this young generation needs to be skilled and employed to take care of self in 2050s and hence be a less burden on the country.

[kakanaug]

Unemployment is the best contraceptive ...we are on right path.😂😂😂

[angadsingh]

S. K. Singh Sir has raised a very valid point which is India population momentum

[jyotirana]

Some strict steps should be taken by goverment.

[prateekbisht]

RSTV requested to add subtitles so that weaker section group could make notes

[HariYugBhajan]

It's not about women or girl child education ....it's about quality education

[wiqarahmed]

The best way is the change of mind set and ethics in addition to incentive schemes and policies.

[Nileshpandey]

I miss "perspective" and "The big picture" program a lot its unfortunate that sansad tv has stopped both these shows.
29/04/2024 Moday 12:14AM ( midnight)

[Jay-gvbq]

We need to focus on Regional (states) & Religious population growth.
Some states & religion like Muslim are having very high population growth.

[tstanmoysamanta]

We need Population control Law.By 2020.

[VijayKumar-yggg]

Very good discussion on our demographic growth. Potential benefits, challenges and solutions to the demographic issues.

[rameshshah]

Adopt one child policy to control population

[dilipshaw]

Yes... Education is best pill to short out the all ills...

[tariqsiddiqui]

Two child policy can be a brilliant idea to avoid Demographic Disaster.

[cqsxhiv]

Mr Tripathi like Europe occupying Australia n America Bangladeshis have done same to India.with Huge influx they have exploited our weaknesses of Democratic system.