Drops in GDP/increase in poverty can cause an increase in Population

Population bomb

Population bomb refers to the explosive growth in the human Population. Population bomb is not only a problem in India; it has reached a menacing proportion all over The World, especially in the poorer countries.

The developed countries in the west or in countries like Japan which are rich enough to employ all their people according to their abilities, the growth of population may prove to be a boon, for the rapid growth of industries and national wealth always need greater work-force to implement the program of development in ever expanding sphere.

But in a developing country like India, with a backward economy and little scope for fruitful employment, millions of people find no work to do. The unemployed, having nothing to do and without an ensured living, are left frustrated and demoralized, losing their faith in life itself.

We all can agree to the fact that poorer a country the greater is the growth rate of its population. India, caught in the morass of her age old poverty, finds herself in the midst of a population explosion. The population that was less than 400 million in the 1940’s is about 121 billion in 2014. As a result of this, the plans to control population growth have failed to cope with the enormous problem of unemployment.

More than 70% of Indians live in villages, and most of them languish in their dark, dreary nooks; the fruits of our plans have not quite reached them. The poor in India are ignorant and superstitious, and so cannot see the advantages of planned family. These poor people do not have the education necessary for planning their present with a view to ensure a better future. This is why while their hopes wear-off; they leap in the dark and break their neck, making things grimmer for their world.

Family planning as an official Programme was launched in 1952. The people were reminded of the advantages of small families, of healthy and happy children and of the need for eradicating the age old poverty.

But even the family welfare has a lot more to achieve, for the population in India has already become about 130 billion and at the rate of 33 new births per second it may very soon become 150 billion and then 200 billion and so on. As one of the poorest countries in the world India cannot survive this challenge and in face of such explosion all the plans would be an exercise in futility.

The Writer is 2nd Year student (MBBS) of Rama Medical College, Hapur, U.P. and has been writing on issues crucial and important to National Development