PUBLIC POLICY ON POPULATION CONTROL IN POST-INDEPENDENCE INDIA: A CRITICAL STUDY

Abstract

India has the second largest population among countries of the world, the first being China, with only 2.4 per cent of the world's geographical area. India's share of world population is 16per cent. India is adding 17 million people every year, roughly the equivalent of the total popUlation of Australia. According to the latest estimates based on fertility rates, in the world today, India ranks second in population numbers (Communist China tops the list with more than 750 million people) and seventh in land area. (Chandrasekhar., 1977: 246). India is expected to overtake China by 2050, when there would be 1,592 billion Indians to 1,392 billion Chinese. "India's popUlation is very large and is growing very fast. This affects adversely the growth of economy and is highly unfavorable for the growth of output." (Agarwal , 1994:77).