‘Dangerous impacts of forced population control, can create gender imbalance’: MEA S Jaishankar

Population control has always been a big factor for India, with many significant politicians and ministers lobbying to control the growth of the population in the country due to limited resources and the state of poverty.

In the midst of this, MEA S Jaishankar has given an important statement regarding population control.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that there is no need for forced population control in India as it can have “dangerous implications” on the country. Further, he said that because of education, the population growth rate is slowing down by itself.

While speaking at an event in Gujarat, MEA S Jaishankar commented on the growth rate of population in India. He said, “The rate of growth of the Indian population is falling. The reason is education, social awareness, and prosperity. The family size among each one of us, with the passage of time, is small.”

Further, the external affairs minister talked about how forced population control can be problematic for the country. Jaishankar said, “Forced population control can have very dangerous consequences, it can create a gender imbalance.”

Since its Independence, India has witnessed a huge change in its demographic structure. It has gone through a population explosion (Census 1951) and has also witnessed a decline in the total fertility rate.

The UN World Population Prospects (WPP), 2022, forecasts India becoming the most populous country by 2023, surpassing China, with a 140 crore population. India currently has 17.5 percent of the world’s population.

India is projected to reach 150 crores by 2030 and 166 crores by 2050. In 2021, India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) slipped below the replacement level of fertility (which is 2.1 children per woman) to two.

Over the past few years, there have also been talks about introducing a population control bill in India to promote small families in the country by offering them tax incentives, education, and employment opportunities. This bill is yet to become an act of law and has been criticized by the opposition.