India will overtake China with almost three million more people in the middle of next year. It has long been one of the world’s most populous nations; but as per the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) report, as per the fresh report of this organization India has bypassed China and has become the most populous country in the world. Its population is estimated at 1 428.6 million or, in other words, 1.429 billion. Against China with 1.425.7 billion. The data has been shown on its website and it described that India had surpassed China in its overpopulation.
The last census in India was held in 2011, and the next was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic, which was due in 2021. China has controlled its population in the last few years and fell for the first time in six decades with profound implications for its economy worldwide.
As per the report of UNFPA, it is assumed that population growth in India has averaged 1.2 percent since 2011. The report also indicated that the fertility rates of Brazil, Egypt and Niger were too high; however, the Indian population has surpassed other countries in fertility rate. Some population representatives said in their statement that population numbers in India would not trigger anxiety or create alarm, but should be seen as a symbol of progress if individual rights and choices that are upheld.
A population control volunteer in India named Poonam Muttreja has expressed that in this alarming population, people should make sure that girls and women should not be pushed into early marriages and pregnancies. Many experts have the view that the larger population will make a great contribution to the Indian economy as it is already the world’s fifth-largest economy and it will contribute more. In the long run, it is assumed that India will compete with China in the mid-to-low-end manufacturing sector and both countries have a large pool of young labour resources for economic take-off.
As per the Global Hunger Index report of 2022, India ranks 107th out of 121 countries which is alarming for a populous country like India. As per the educational ranking of world countries, India stands at 32 while China stands at 22. According to former President and nuclear scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam “Almost half of the world’s population lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty.
However, India is diverse; it cannot compete with China by its larger labour force to harvest demographic dividends as the Indian majority population is poorly educated, and most live below the poverty line. It has been expected that the global population will cross 9.7 billion in 2064 and the Indian population is expected to continue growing to 1.7 billion. The question arises of how a government can control the largest religiously diverse population single-handedly. The overpopulation will bring the Indian government to its knees by putting them on the right track.
Overpopulation is one of the serious hazards which creates a great obstacle to national development; some serious issues associated with larger populations include pressure on food items, clothing and housing which are the basic needs for human life; thus, it will affect the lifestyle of slum areas, starvation, and other problems.
Another serious issue caused by overpopulation is unemployment and disguised unemployment, which ultimately will affect the country’s low-income groups as larger families in India depend on one earning person, which will affect their lifestyle. Overpopulation will also affect the decrease of forest area to construct houses and places for shelter in India. Education is a serious issue for the Indian government, as the current government is concerned with promoting Hindutva ideology which is a big threat to other sects like Muslims, Christianity and Jews in India. This division will create a catastrophic divergence in inhabitants of other religions. The energy crisis is yet another bottleneck for the Indian government; and the majority of the state in India is deprived of electricity. According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, India is ranked 180th among 180 countries and a country with the lowest rank in environmental pollution can compete with China. In India, around 99 million people have no access to safe water and most of their newborns die from diarrheal diseases.
As per the Global Hunger Index report of 2022, India ranks 107th out of 121 countries which is alarming for a populous country like India. As per the educational ranking of world countries, India stands at 32 while China stands at 22. According to former President and nuclear scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam “Almost half of the world’s population lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty. Such inequalities in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and, in some parts of the world, even violence.” The Indian government should think deeply about the pros and cons associated with overpopulation.
