The Population Problem of India or Family Planning
Of the many problems of Free India, the population problem is one. Its population is growing fast. Within a century its population has doubled. In population strength, it is second only to China. It has now become difficult to find food for every mouth and to maintain a decent standard of living. Parents of the middle class find it very difficult to support the children well.
There are many causes of this rapid growth of population. In Hindu society marriage is a sacred bond and a necessity. Every dying Hindu must leave behind sons to perform funeral rites. Early marriages are performed to save youths from corruption. The Indian farmer indulges in sex as a recreation. The uneducated people do not understand the importance of birth control. The Muslims regard it anti-religious. In Indian schools and colleges there is no provision for sex education. India being a hot country the sex feeling develops early here. It is the chief reason of early maternity in our country.
Our Government is now giving attention to this problem. Family Planing centres have been started everywhere. Every medical practitioner is expected to encourage birth control. Rewards are given to persons who get the benefit of family planning centres. A Government servant is not allowed to have two wives at a time.
But still very little has been done. Only the Hindus are having, birth control. With the progress in science, diseases and child mortality have been controlled but not the rate of birth. It is hoped that the public will realise the seriousness of the problem.
We shall know family planning is the need of the hour. It is very essential in the interest of the country. A happy home is possible only when there are not more than two children in a family. Healthy and strong children are better than unhealthy and sickly ones. All talks of planning and prosperity are useless if there is no check on growing population.
