INDIA'S POPULATION POLICIES

Definition of ANTI NATALIST: The policy of the government to slow the population growth by attempting to limit the number of births

INDIA Background information India has had a sudden fall in death rate due to improvements in food supply, hygiene and medical care High birth rate means there has been a dramatic increase in population Contraceptives and family planning were available to families In 1972, abortions were allowed by law and sterilization programmes became widespread

INDIA’S POPULATION STATISTICS The current population of India is 1,335,188,813 as of Friday, January 13, 2017, based on the latest United Nations estimates. India population is equivalent to 17.86% of the total world population. Males = 531, 277, 078 Females = 495, 738, 169 Although India only occupies 2.4% of the world’s land area, equivalent to 17.86% of the total world population. Almost 40% of Indians are younger than 15 The magnitude of the annual increase in population can be seen in the fact that India adds almost the total population of Australia every year

THE POLICY The anti natalist policy was unpopular and ended in 1977 In 1978, the legal age of marriage was raised from 15 to 18 but this was ignored Only 25% of women use contraception In 1952, India was the first country in the world to launch the national programme, emphasising family planning to the extent necessary to reduce birth rate to stable India launched its policy through mass media e.g. radio and TV ads

EFFECTS OF THE POLICY To solve the population problems, the Indian government must quickly administer population regulations so that couples have on average two children The governments persuasive campaign for two child families and India’s obsession with having sons has led to an increase in woman abortion female foetuses so make sure they have a boy, if not two

INDIA V CHINA

POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR INDIA (millions) March 1991 March 2001 March 2011 March 2016 846.3 1012.4 1178.9 1263.5 India’s demographic achievement due to the policy Reduced crude birth rate from 40.8 in 1951, to 26.4 in 1998 Achieved nearly universal awareness of the need for family planning Halved infant mortality rate from 146 per 1000 in 1951, to 72 per 1000 live births in 1998

POPULATION DENSITY

PROPAGANDA POSTERS

Now what? Due to the policy, birth rate has declined but there is still natural increase Infant mortality has been reduced as has death rate, therefore there is still a slight increase in the population