India has an estimated population of 879.5 millions as on 1992. It stands 2nd in population, the 1st being China. India is supporting 15 per cent of world’s total population. India stands 7th in land area and has 2.4 per cent of worlds land area. Currently, India’s population is almost equal to the population of USA, USSR and Japan put together. India’s population is increasing at the rate °f 18 million per year ( a little more than the total population of Australia). At the present growth of 2 per cent, it is estimated that ^e population of India will touch a billion by the end of this century. It may reach 1.4 billions by 2025 AD. So it is clear that the Problem of ‘population expansion’ in India is alarming.
Problem of expanding Population
1. Food Production: Food production was 55. million tones in 1951 – 52. It increased to 72 million tones 1955 – 56 and 103 million tones in 1970 – 71. But the per capital food supply has gone down from 360 grams to 348 grams. As against the average normal of 2400 calories, an Indian gets only 1400 calories. This is true inspire of bumper crops.
2. Clothing: Against the per capita minimum of 25 meters per annum, the supply is only 14 meters. So there is scarcity of clothing due to population explosion.
3. Employment: In spite of creation of 31 million additional jobs, the number of unemployed has gone up from 3.5 million in 1966 to 10 million in 1966. It is over 25 million at present.
A.Education: There has been an overall expansion in education by 300%. Still there are 63.8 million children who are not attending schools. This is likely to produce behavioral disorders in children. The number of juvenile delinquents may be increased thus producing additional social problems.
5..Shelter: With an ever increasing population, shelter and healthy houses are not available to everyone.
6. Health: Increase in population has caused an increased pollution of air, water and soil. Demand for health programmes increases with an increase in population. All these factors have an adverse effect on health.
All the above hazards produced by increasing population has to be tackled effectively. This can be achieved only through family planning programmes.