India’s population

India’s burgeoning population has seen a five-fold increase over the last 100 years and will surpass China’s by 2050. Projections made by the government show that while India’s population grew by 1.4% over the last five years, China saw only a 0.6% population growth for the corresponding period. India’s total population in 2009 was 119.8 crore, China’s 134.5 crore and Pakistan’s 18 crore. While India’s population will increase to 161.38 crore by 2050, that of China will only reach 141.7 crore. Pakistan’s population grew at the highest rate in the sub-continent—2.2% over the last five years. India will have to share an additional burden of 371 million by 2026. Of this, UP will have a share of 22% of the population, Bihar 8%, Uttarakhand 1%, the four southern states 13% and MP and Rajasthan 7% each. The ‘Janasankhya Sthirta Kosh’ report under the ministry of health and family welfare said if India continues at the current pace it will double its population in the next 50 years, making sustainable development unattainable. Individual populations of Indian states equal the population of many countries. Maharashtra’s 10.4 crore is equal to Mexico’s 10.4 crore, UP’s 18.3 crore nearly touches Brazil’s 18.7 crore and Bihar’s nine crore is over Germany’s 8.3 crore. Talking about family planning, the report says the rate of sterilisation was highest in Chhattisgarh at 74%.