If India's Population Remains Unrestricted

THE POPULATION

Today, India has billion plus people 

• living in 25 states, 

• speaking 19 major languages 

• over a 100 dialects, 

• practicing over about 6 religions and 

• belonging to thousands of castes and sub-castes. 

Each state differs so widely in economic and social development that it is difficult to speak of the country as a whole. 

India passed the 1 billion population benchmark in 2000, and stood at 1.1 billion in 2007. People and Planet website quotes that India's population will almost certainly be near 1.8 billion by 2050 and could top 2 billion by the end of this century. If true, India will have the unique distinction of being the most populated country in the world having a population size exceeding 2 billion. 

On one hand we are faced with the banes of the large population - Even 50 years after gaining independence and being in charge of its own destiny, the situation in India is quite pathetic

• half of its people live on less than dollar 1 a day. 

• 48% of the adult population and 62% of adult women are illiterate; 

• women are severely discriminated against, 

• 53% of children under five are malnourished

• 71% have no access to sanitation; 

• 37% have no access to safe water; and 

• there are around 100 million child laborers. 

• 20% of the world's maternal deaths and 

• 25% of its child deaths occur in India.

• Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are three of the world's ten most polluted cities. 

On the other hand, under the changed scenario, India's Population is seen as an asset rather than liability, which could drive economic growth. The country stands on the threshold of becoming a powerful regional power, if not world, power.   

• India’s massive workforce is seen as the country's greatest resource. 

• India has emerged as a major back office with global firms outsourcing work to take advantage of the country's educated

• India produces 2.5 million IT graduates a year ..