Pundits of social sciences have predicted that the population of the world doubles before the turn of the century and reaches 500 million mark. Even at half the strength, three fourths of the world's population lead a life of poverty and ignorance. For them, life is a continuous struggle for survival, and existence is but a burden. New morn does not begin with a new hope, nor the day ends with sweet recollections. The plight of animals is much better; when once their bellies are full they have no other care on earth, no worry about clothing or shelter; no worry about tomorrow. But these hapless people are born in worry and die in worry.
They do not realize that a major reason for their pitiable state is their big families. Out of ignorance they believe that children are the gifts of gods and that they have no right to do anything but accept these divine gifts. They do not realize that they have a duty too- duty to look after and bring them up, give them good education and make them useful citizens. Blissfully they forget this. To a certain extent, their religious beliefs are to blame for such an ignorant outlook.
In such conditions, therefore, the responsibility of the government increases. On one hand it must try to increase the means of production and on the other, educate the ignorant masses about the need to limit their families. Natural sources like land and water cannot cross a certain limit and respond to your needs but population can swell beyond limits; may double every forty or fifty years, in spite of calamities like floods, famines, wars and diseases. Therefore the need to arrest the growth of population.
In western countries where the people are more materialistic, the living standards are high and under no circumstances, they are prepared to make sacrifices and settle down for anything less. They willingly implement the family planning, programs, and enjoy life, relishing every bit of it. They are the happy travelers who have realized the secret of a pleasant journey: 'less luggage and more comfort'.
They have also realized that, man being a social being cannot experience happiness or sorrow, all by himself, in utter privacy and seclusion. He needs others to share with him in his joys and sorrows. In other words, the joys and sorrows of other people are yours too. It means you have willingly accepted to share the burden of the society. You now realize that, though you have a right to beget as many children as you please, you have no right to deny your duty to bring them up. You cannot send them to Fagin school and burden the society with thieves and pickpockets.
But this is not enough because the people are ignorant. They do not realize the intensity of the problem and part with their age old habits. With the invention of antibiotics and other high power drugs, longevity has increased, death rate decreased to a considerable extent and the population is increasing, naturally. The only course then left open is to enforce it with vigor and strength. Long ago, the government did not hesitate to introduce 'Sarada Act' in order to prevent child marriages. Now is the time to introduce such preventive legislature to enforce the new code strictly and arrest the population growth. Otherwise, if the population goes on increasing, and when it touches the 10 Billion mark, it is difficult to guess how much burden it will cast on the country and the people. Even after so many years of freedom we have not solved at least one problem completely - have not for example, provided with drinking water every village. Wherever you go nothing but dust and dirt rising like thin maintained in such a bad manner, electricity still eluding, village after village plunges in utter darkness and big cities like Price of essential commodities soaring up, floods and famines leaving behind horrible tracks of death and disaster - majority of people simply existing, not much to eat, not enough to cover their bodies with and without roof to protect them from sun and rain, hartals, strike, mass murders, terrorism, hijacking, unemployment, and unrest threatening every part of the country - if this is the picture now with 600 million, what shape would it take with 1000 millions? Will there be enough to provide them with at least a meal a day? How many of them can have roofs over their heads? How many schools to educate them? How many hospitals to treat them? UNO may extend its helping hand; countries like America may offer PL 480 loans and outright gifts of food and medicines, the task will still remain incomplete; with hopes belied and dreams unrealized, the country will remain backward forever, and people will languish in utter poverty and ignorance.
But there are people who believe that the greatest asset that India has, is its 'man - power. Here, in less than a thousandth part of the inhabited world is concentrated one fifth of its population - more than half of them, are able bodied, patient, hard working, but no work to do and therefore ready to do anything in order to make an honest living. Inspire them, and, nothing will be too difficult to achieve, no hurdle will be too high to surmount. As our revered UGC chairman has remarked, in one year illiteracy can be completely driven out of our land. Only thing we need to do is to declare a long holiday for all the educational institutions and run education camps in every village. If we have vision and leadership, we can even construct not dykes but walls to keep the sea at bay. Sky will only be the limit then. But now the family planning shall go on.
Rahul M is a freelance writer and has written content for several web & print media projects.
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