The now-abandoned one child policy was responsible for the population decline. It did slow down population growth, but at significant social and economic expense, as China has just discovered. A lack of productive workers and a sharp increase in the number of elderly and ageing citizens plague the nation. Chinese authorities now encourage families to have two or even three children. While the effects of the demographic loss are already being felt, it will take some time for the liberalised norms to take hold.
With a population that will soon surpass 1.4 billion, India will be required to provide for the needs of its citizens on a scale never before seen in history, including housing, food, clothing, education, and health care. For the foreseeable future, the number of workers looking for work will continue to rise, necessitating economic growth and job creation. Due to a lack of census data, it is believed that there were 900 million people of working age worldwide in 2021. Exact estimates are not yet available.
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By the end of the decade, it should reach more than one billion. India has not been able to create enough jobs, even during periods of rapid economic expansion. Now, it will be more difficult. The World Bank estimates that in 2021, 46% of India’s population was actively seeking employment, the lowest percentage in all of Asia. Only 19% of women were employed, a pitifully low percentage. The much-discussed demographic dividend will become a liability if the nation is unable to meet the demands of the populace in the areas of food, health, education, and other necessities. India may have already missed the bus, according to certain opinions.
Not trying to control the population, as some sections have suggested, is the policy to address the population challenge. That plan, which targets Muslims with political motivation, is based on the misconception that Muslims are becoming more numerous than Hindus and will eventually outnumber them. The number of Muslim families is likewise decreasing across the nation. To stabilise population growth, provide education and work opportunities to everyone, especially the more underprivileged groups, the challenge is to improve maternal and child health. The nation must seize this chance to transform this issue into an opportunity.
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