GS paper 2
Syllabus: Issues related to the development of the social sector, Government policies and interventions for the development of various sectors etc
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?
- UN Security Council
- The Economic and Social Council
- The Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat
- 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