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Does India need a population policy?

GS paper 2

Syllabus: Issues related to the development of the social sector, Government policies and interventions for the development of various sectors etc

 

Source: The Hindu

Context:

The United Nations published data to show that India would surpass China as the world’s most populous country by 2023.

  • According to the 2018-19 Economic Survey, India’s demographic dividend will peak around 2041.

Do we need a population policy? Yes.

  • The previous Population policy was designed way back in 2000.
  • Include Ageing: There is a need to tweak and add ageing to our population policy focus.
  • Focus on Reproductive health: Focusing on other challenges that go along with enhancing reproductive health.
  • Policy that enhances population as resources: For India’s development, and ensures that the population is happy, healthy, and productive.
  • Move away from the two-child norm: Need to move away from the focus on the two-child norm.

 

Steps that need to be taken amid rising population:

  • Family welfare: Move from a family planning approach to a family welfare approach.
  • Empowering men and women: Being able to make informed choices about their fertility, health and well-being.
  • Skilling: Learning new skills.
  • Economic planning: that ensures good jobs, agricultural productivity, etc.
  • Public policy: Making sharp changes in public policy to manage the population.
  • Focus not on the fertility rate but on creating a situation in which slow changes in the family size take place in the context of a growing economy.
  • Planning for equal consideration: Every fifth Indian by 2050 will be over the age of 65.
    • So planning for this segment merits equal consideration.
  • Invest: In adolescent well-being to reap the benefits
  • Improve employment opportunities: For young women and increase the female employment rate.
  • Social support: Elderly women need economic and social support networks.

 

Insta Links:

India to surpass China as the most populous country in a year

 

Mains Links:

Q. Despite Consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive. (UPSC 2021)

 

Prelims Links:

  • United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
  • UNGA
  • Automation
  • Ageing
  • Fertility rate

Which of the following is/are the principal UN organs?

  1. UN Security Council
  2. The Economic and Social Council
  3.  The Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat
  4. World Health Organization (WHO)

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

a. 1, 2 and 3 only

b. 2, 3 and 4 only

c. 1 and 2 only

d. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (a)

Justification:

The United Nations (UN) has six main organs:

  • The General Assembly
  • The Security Council
  • The Economic and Social Council
  • The Trusteeship Council
  • The International Court of Justice