Population Policies in India – UGC NET – Notes

One of the major issues confronting India is its rapid population growth. Based on estimation of the most recent United Nations data, India’s current population is 1.4 billion (1,403,237,339) as of March 29, 2022. Between now and 2050, India’s population will grow by 273 million people. India is expected to remain the world’s most populous country until the end of the century. The frightening rate of population growth has aggravated the problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequalities. Because of rising demand, India’s resources are rapidly depleting. In view of the above the Government has formulated many policies on population including Family Welfare Department and National Population Policy, 2000. 

What are Population Policies?

• Population policies are being developed to address unmet needs in relation to population.
• It includes contraception, health care infrastructure, and health personnel, as well as providing integrated service delivery for basic reproductive and child health care.
• The primary goal is to achieve a stable population that meets the requirements of long-term economic growth, social development, and environmental protection.
• The Government of India has developed several policies for population control in various Five-Year Plans.

Population Policies of India

Pre-Independence Period

• The British did not consider population growth to be a problem prior to independence.
• They had a neutral attitude toward birth control because they didn’t want to interfere with Indian values, beliefs, customs, or traditions.
• As a result, this period is known as the Period of Indifference.
• The Indian intelligentsia, on the other hand, was aware of the problem of population growth and advocated for birth control.
• P.K. Wattal was the first to advocate for birth control in India, publishing a book on the subject in 1916.
• He was followed by R.D. Karve, Rabindranath Tagore, P.N. Sapru, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Bhore Committee, among others.
• Gandhiji supported birth control as well, but emphasised natural methods such as self-control, abstinence, and a safe period over artificial methods.
• “During the last period of British colonialism, the intelligentsia prepared background thoughts related to birth control,” wrote Prof. Gunnar Myrdal.
• After independence, logical and systematic birth control policies were implemented.