Population Control or Gay Issue
Posted : July 18, 2009 at 8:27 pm [IST]
The popularity of gay issue in media both digital and print after the high court judgment posed a question. Was it important enough a national issue to involve the intellengia of the country to take it to every nook and comer of the country? Why should the population control not draw more attention even after the Kamali’s confession in Times of India story?
As it appeared for years, the government, media and the women activists had forgotten the issue of population growth and its dangerous consequences on the growth rate in India. However, many intellectuals one of them being NR Narayan Murthy kept on raising the consequence of the uncontrolled growth. He has mentioned that even in his book, ‘A Better India, A Better World’. Interestingly after the recent World Population day, the subject got debated and mentioned at some platforms.
It started with the new health minister. Azad of Late Sanjay Gandhi brigade came out with interesting solutions such as late marriage, and late night good TV programmes for automatic and effective population control.
The government will have to get more and more concerned about the issue as it goes for programmes such as NREGA and particularly food security for the people at the bottom of the pyramid. If the population remains unchecked and Kamalis keep on producing seven children and get supported as human right, the cost of the food security will keep on increasing. Even a layman can understand the basic arithmetic to find the reason for low growth in per capita income. Either the country will have to grow its GDP at fantastic rate or it will have to reduce its denominator, the population. Perhaps, the best action will be to have equal thrust on both. The population control can’t be overlooked anymore. Kamali needs education about the ills of having more than two children and Ram Singh Gawar require motivation for correction. The school must provide more attraction than midday meal to Asha for getting educated.
How long India can afford to keep its population growing that is about 17 per cent of the world’s population today with 2.5 per cent of the global land mass? Sometimes, it appears though India can’t compete on any other parameter with China’s statistics of development, Indian leadership is hell-bent to go ahead of China sooner than desired on population. As estimated, India’s present population of almost 1.2 billion is closing in on China’s 1.33 billion and will bypass China around 2028.
The government must step up its drive to provide a check. Media through well done publicity materials on TV and FM radios must take up the drive of educating the people voluntarily on population management and its national consequences. The President’s address to joint session of parliament as well as the Budget 2009 has a remarkable promise of eradicating illiteracy from among the female population through an intensive drive. I wish the drive focuses to educate the women rather than making them superficially literate enough to sign their names. The initiative using various technologies and well designed video and audio combination in the local languages can impart the right education effectively. And that education will certainly have an impact on the population growth rate. I find the education minister enthusiastic and I wish his ideas get support. I am sure Indian TV sets manufacturers can get boost. I wonder if the chief ministers in south such as Karunanidhi had this motive when he distributed coloured TV among his people.
I wish the government takes some hard steps in time. Can it survive with 70% spending less than Rs 20 a day and the percentage of the category in population increasing every year?
Everyday at noon, Asha stands in the queue at the aanganwadi centre for the mid-day meal. “I go for the food but don’t like school.” Her mother Kamli (Kamla Gawar, 45) is a casual mason for the Archaeological Survey of India. “I earn Rs 125 per day when I get work from the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme”. Asha’s father, Ram Singh Gawar, 50, goes to the forest to collect wood. He sells the wood for Rs 50 or Rs 60 and buys two bottles of country liquor for the evening. “Asha is the youngest of my seven children. She cries if we send her to school,” said Kamli. “None of my children have been to school. My eldest daughter is now 24 and has four children. Two of my other daughters are married and have large families.”
- Indra
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