Population explosion can create trouble for future generations: PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day advice on population control is being seen by some BJP leaders as cue that the Centre will move towards framing a policy on the subject.

“Till now the debate on population was always seen from a religious point of view, and was limited in a section of demography. But today PM Modi has taken this debate to all section of the society,” said BJP parliamentarian Rakesh Sinha. “Also, it was a philanthropic debate and PM now has indicated a movement towards policy-making.” Sinha has introduced a private member’s Bill on population control in the Rajya Sabha in the concluding parliament session. He expressed hope that before the next population census in 2021, the country will have a policy on population control.

In his address from the Red Fort on Thursday, Modi said, “Population explosion can create new problems, especially for the future generations. But there is also an enlightened section of society which is aware of this challenge. The people who have played a positive role in population control, there is a need to appreciate them for their efforts. We have to ponder on this issue, taking along all the sections of the society.”


Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP, who has, on several occasions, expressed concern over population growth, said, “I have been raising the issue of population explosion for a decade now. Today, when (the) PM mentioned it from Red Fort, my efforts bore fruits,” Singh wrote on Twitter. “Population has reached a dangerous level and now I have full faith that it will be dealt with.” The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), too, has been voicing concern over the rise in population. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, during his annual Dussehra address in 2015, had stressed on the need for a holistic discussion on population. “Our present and future are getting impacted by the same. We need to rise above vote bank politics to formulate a holistic approach, equally applicable to all citizens, towards the population policy.” India has National Population Policy 2000, which is uniformly applicable to the whole country and the policy focuses on better implementation and awareness of family-planning schemes. In December 2015, then health minister JP Nadda, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, had said that no proposal is under consideration of the government to formulate a new policy on population.