Population
12.1 Population
Population of a country may
be defined as a number of people residing in that country.
Population plays an pivotal role in economic development.
But when growth of population is more in comparison to the resources available
in the economy, then it leads to problems of unemployment and poverty. Rapid
growth of population in comparison to rate of growth of resources hampers the
process of economic development. So, as higher population is detrimental to the
economic development, lower population also hampers the process of economic
development because resources of the country cannot be fully utilised for lack
of adequate manpower.
Some facts regarding population of India
-
According to 2001
census, 72.2 percent
of population lived in rural areas
-
Arunachal Pradesh State has the highest proportion of rural population to its total
population.
-
Approximately 28
percent of population that lives in urban area.
-
India’s population is 16% of the world population.
-
Nagaland is the least densely
populated state of India.
-
According to the 2001 census the population of India is 102.7 crore.
-
About 60% of population is in the age group of
15-60.
-
Population recorded the maximum growth rate of
2.22% p.a. during the decade 1971-81.
12.1.1
Population growth in India
a. Control of famines: The famines since
independence have been controlled. The problems generated by droughts have been
met to such an extent that only stray cases of starvation death are reported. Government
measures to control droughts has reduced the starvation death to significant
extent.
b. Control of epidemics: Cholera and small pox were
the two major causes of epidemics before independence. Now small pox is
completely eradicated and cholera is quite under control. A substantial share
of the decline in mortality since World War II is attributed to malaria
control, which saved millions of lives. Control of deadly diseases also
contributed population growth.
c. High mortality rate: Improvement in medical
facilities, better nutrition, supplies of pure drinking water,
improvement in sanitation and hygiene in cities or villages, improving the
literacy rates etc. all have increased the mortality rate. So, these are the
reasons behind the explosive growth of population.
d. High Birth Rate: High birth rate is one of
the reasons for explosive growth of population. There are several factors
responsible for high birth rate. In agriculture based societies children have never
been considered an economic burden. Harvesting, weeding sowing all seem to encourage
a relatively bigger family. So, agricultural family prefers to maintain big
family size.
With spread of education, it is hoped that people will understand the
problem of high population and they will try to control the growth rate of
population individually by controlling birth rate, maintaining small
family.
12.1.2 Effects of
population growth
i.
Low per-Capita Income
Even though National Income
increases in money terms, the Per Capita Income increases at a lower rate, due
to increase in population. The advantage of high economic growth are set-off
and neutralized, by rapid increase in population growth. So, the standard, of
living of a country reduces with the growth of population. Every country should
try to increase per capital income for its economic development.
ii.
Burden on Food Supply
Inspite
of income in total production of food grains, the Per Capita Domestic Availability of
Food grains rise only marginally. Excessive population growth creates food
shortage problems. Demand for food increases, available food production system
cannot meet the food requirement.
Per Capita availability of
cultivable area comes down gradually. So, a falling Land-Man ratio has to be
compensated by increase in productivity per acre.
iii.
Dependent Population and Unproductive Consumers
With a rapid growth in
population, the ratio of children and old Persons of total population tends to rise.
This leads to the problem of Unproductive Consumers, bringing additional presure
on the resources of each family, and also on Public Utility Services like Food,
Education, Health, etc.
Higher dependence of
unproductive consumers on food, education and health (called as Dependency
Load) generates the vicious circle of Population, Poverty and
under-Development.
iv.
Unemployment
One of major
adverse effect of population growth is the spread of acute unemployment. Substantial
increase in Population creates the problem of unemployment and
under-employment.
Inspite of
increase in employment opportunities, higher growth rate of population in India
v.
Capital Formation
Generally, a
part of Capital Formation / Investment goes on maintaining the existing
standard of living for the additional population.
Due to rapid
increase in population, substantial Capital Investment is required to maintain
and improve the standard of living of people. Capital formation is extremely
essential for development of an economy. High population consumes all the
production of the country in a year, and very little is left for investing in
formation of capital goods. So excessive population has a very adverse effect
on the economic development due to low capital formation.
vi.
Ecological Degradation
-
Due to rapid increase of population in India
-
Denudation of Forests leads to soil erosion and floods, which have
adverse harmful effect on food production. Deforestation has a extremely
harmful effect on human life span because it increases the quantity of
carbon-di-oxide in the air causing health hazards.
-
Removal of forests leads to unfavorable climate changes, prolonged
droughts, global warming etc.
-
Increased burden on Agricultural
Land
-
High concentration of population in urban areas,
together with insufficient infrastructural facilities (Drinking water,
Sanitation, Transportation, Housing etc.) growth major problems of population.
12.2 Population & economic growth
The economic
development of a country largely depends on the ability of its population to
exploit the available national resources. Explosive growth of population brings
about problems like unemployment, poverty, low capital formation etc.
Under population is the
situation in which the available size of population is not adequate to make
optimum utilization of the available resources. The resources remain idle due
to lack of human force.
Achieve growth, population
has to be increased in such a manner which would put the available resource to
the better use and raise the standard of living. So, both under population and
overpopulation are detrimental to the balanced economic development. For rapid
progress of an economy, optimum level of population should be maintained so
that economy can make optimum utilization of available resources.
Measures to reduce the Population Growth Rate
i.
Improving literacy & primary education: Measures
like free
and compulsory School Education upto age 14 and reducing drop-out rates
at Primary and Secondary School Levels to below 20% would help improve
education. Educated people
understand the bad impact of population growth and they will try to maintain
small family.
ii.
Promoting and encouraging
two-child norm: This measure will check the galloping growth of population and encourage
maintenance of small size family
iii.
Preventing Child Marriage : Promoting delayed
marriage for girls, not earlier than 18 years of age and preferably after 20
years of age. (Marriageable Age is 18 years and 21 years for Girls and Boys
respectively).
iv.
Promote registration of
Births, Deaths, Marriage and Pregnancy: This measure will help our government to keep a
watch on new birth, death so as to know possible population growth rate in near
future.
v.
Develop Community groups :Involving like Zila
Parishad, Panchayat Samitis, Co-operative Societies and Trade Unions at the
grass root levels. All these groups would cause awareness about the benefit of
population control.
vi.
Voluntary sterilization : Monetary Incentives for
voluntary sterilization. Generally poor people have large family size. Monetary
incentives for voluntary sterilization will motivate those poor people to
maintain small family.
vii.
Family planning : Offering counseling
service on family planning to the general public. All over India
viii.
Publicity
media : Through different publicity media like newspapers, television &
radio channels, government should motivate the general people to keep small
family size.
12.3
Population Metrics in India
a.Density of population
It
refers to the average number of persons residing per square km.
Density
population = Total population / land area of the region
As the total land area remains same, an increase in
population causes density of population to rise.
Years
|
Density of population
|
1901
|
77 per sq km
|
1961
|
142 per sq km
|
1971
|
178 per sq km
|
1991
|
274 per sq km
|
2001
|
324 per sq km
|
Factors affecting Density
of Population
i) Climatic condition ii) Transport &
Communication facility, namely, roads, railways, water-ways, airways,
telecommunications iii) Immigration.
Highly densely populated & developed areas are
Mumbai, Kolkata, whereas economic backward areas like, Rajasthan, Tripura have
low density.
West Bengal has highest density of population.
b.Birth rate & death
rate
Birth rate & Death rate simultaneously are
number of birth or number of death per thousand of population.
Years
|
Birth rate
|
Death rate
|
1951
|
39.9
|
27.4
|
1961
|
41.7
|
22.4
|
1971
|
36.9
|
14.9
|
1981
|
33.9
|
12.5
|
1991
|
29.5
|
9.8
|
2001
|
25.4
|
8.4
|
c.Life expectancy
It refers to the mean expectation of life at birth.
If death rate is high / low, life expenctancy will be low / high.
Years
|
Male
|
Female
|
Average
|
1951
|
32.5
|
31.7
|
32.1
|
1961
|
41.9
|
40.6
|
41.3
|
1971
|
46.4
|
44.7
|
45.6
|
1981
|
54.1
|
54.7
|
54.4
|
1991
|
59.0
|
59.7
|
59.3
|
2001
|
62.3
|
65.3
|
63.8
|
d.Sex ratio or Sex composition
It refers to the number of females per 1000 males.
It is an important indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity between
males & females. Among the various states of India
The sex ratio is highest
in Russia.
Sex ratio for whole world is 986.
Sex Ratio in
India
Years
|
Sex ratio
|
1951
|
946
|
1961
|
941
|
1971
|
930
|
1981
|
934
|
1991
|
927
|
2001
|
933
|
e. Literacy Ratio
It
refers to the number of literates as a percentage of total population
Kerala has highest literacy ratio.
Literacy Ratio in India
Years
|
Literate persons
|
Males
|
Females
|
1951
|
16.7
|
25.0
|
7.9
|
1961
|
24.0
|
34.4
|
13.0
|
1971
|
29.5
|
39.4
|
18.7
|
1981
|
43.6
|
56.4
|
29.75
|
1991
|
52.21
|
54.1
|
39.3
|
2001
|
65.38
|
75.85
|
54.16
|
Female
literacy is highest in the state of Kerala.
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