The population of India has risen dramatically during the post-independence period. The increase in population is due to the spread of health care facilities thus resulting in the fall of death rate. Within a period of a little over half century, population of India has tripled to cross one billion marks. It is predicted to surpass China by 2030 to become the highly populated country in the world.
The unprecedented population growth has contributed too many problems such as poverty, unemployment, food problem, housing, clothing which are the basic necessities of life. These things are directly related to the quality of life. The rising population has outpaced all the development and technological gains. It has nullified all our achievements in the field of industrialisation. Despite all the progress made even one-fourth of India’s population is still living below poverty line. Even they do not have the bare necessities of life available to them. Millions of people have to go to bed without food. Starvation death is frequent in India despite being self-reliant in food production.
Population growth is witnessing geometrical progression. The resources of subsistence are increasing in arithmetical progression. India has to accommodate sixteen per cent of total world population in 2.3 per cent of total land. The pace of our population growth is horrifying. Forty-four children take birth every minute. Our population is rising by 2.9 per cent per year. Thus every year an extra 26 million people are added to the existing population. Availability of better food, better hygiene and above all modern facilities in medicines, surgery and health care have caused longevity and decline in the rate of mortality. It has further