A solution to our population problem, Please contribute.

[spawnofsatan]

As we are all aware our country is bursting at the seams. We have a massive population of 1.3Bn in a country that is one fifth the size of United States. Due to the large number of people, we have 75% of the population living below $2 a day. India is home to 1/3rd of the world's poor.

There is no denying that we have massive traffic issues and way too many cars than roads. I believe many of our problems are related to our large population. Effective control and reduction measures, if taken will benefit all of us a great deal.

I am starting this thread to brainstorm ideas which can BE PUT TO USE to effectively control our growing population. Because if we do not control it now eventually we will all pay, heck we are all paying right now.

Please do not say "nothing can be done" or "In India nothing will happen" things will happen if we make an effort, every small effort is a drop in the ocean.

[phamilyman]

We need a sanjay Gandhi.

Or a dictatorship. Populist ideas for controlling population dont work.

[diabloo]

More people = More earning power.

So large population of India must be considered blessing in disguise.

Instead of worrying about population control measures, Government must:

1. Provide education to all (more children means more employment opportunities for teachers !!)
2. Improve living standards (provide basic civic amenities to all - clean neighborhoods)

If 1 & 2 are done, population gets automatically controlled.

[clevermax]

Rest of the states should start leaning from Kerala. More than two kids and you have to pay 10,000/- to the state. I feel that this amount should be increased to 50,000/- or so. and it should be calculated based on on'es income.

[jango]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Rest of the states should start leaning from Kerala. More than two kids and you have to pay 10,000/- to the state. I feel that this amount should be increased to 50,000/- or so. and it should be calculated based on on'es income.

Has this new law been implemented already ?

[rippergeo]

Originally Posted by diabloo

More people = More earning power.

So large population of India must be considered blessing in disguise.

Instead of worrying about population control measures, Government must:

1. Provide education to all (more children means more employment opportunities for teachers !!)
2. Improve living standards (provide basic civic amenities to all - clean neighborhoods)

If 1 & 2 are done, population gets automatically controlled.

somebody who really seems to understand the issue
population is really a blessing in disguise. its selfish pessimists who look at a large population as a problem.
like diabloo said
educate them and the population will get controlled with no special effort.
hasnt our birthrate come down from when we gained independence?

watch china, they have strictly enforced a one child policy. that is short sighted IMO.
it will affect their competitiveness in the labour market a few decades down the line.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by jango

Has this new law been implemented already ?

Not sure about that! You know its Kerala and there will be at least a couple of ഹര്*ത്താല്* s (Hartals) in that name before it could be implemented.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by spawnofsatan

We have a massive population of 1.3Bn in a country that is one fifth the size of United States.

You have started the thread with wrong data. India has 1.1B population and is 1/3 size of United States.

As other already pointed out, dictatorial methods don't work, now China is repenting the one child policy. And they are short on young people.

diabloo's idea is right. You educate the poor, let them understand the consequence of too many kids, the population will get under control.

[PatchyBoy]

+1. It is similar to the menace of bad drivers on the road. Improve traffic awareness and you will see an improvement in traffic conditions over a period of time. Even if we educate new drivers starting today, we will see a noticeable improvement in a decade or so.

Likewise, if we educate today's kids, they will grow up to be responsible adults tomorrow and the population problem will be under control.

Change has to come from within.

Cheers,

Rajan

[spawnofsatan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You have started the thread with wrong data. India has 1.1B population and is 1/3 size of United States.

As other already pointed out, dictatorial methods don't work, now China is repenting the one child policy. And they are short on young people.

diabloo's idea is right. You educate the poor, let them understand the consequence of too many kids, the population will get under control.

Sorry about that should've looked up the numbers.

Now what are some things we can do, because if we rely on the government they might not do much.

Does anybody know of anything thats being done right now and is working effectively?

[suvi]

Education is the key. i do not know anybody in Chennai / Bangalore ( 30 - 50yrs age group) having more than 2 children. Number of children per couple is reducing everywhere, though it can be better. Southern states have already obtained the fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman agreed by most people as the ideal number for a stable population. Northern States are expected to achieve that may be a decade from now.

[csentil]

A lot of European countries have negative population growth. Why not export some of our folks there.

There is an imbalance caused by India's and China's population concentrated so close to each other. One part of the Earth is heavier than the other. If this goes on the Earth's rotation could be affected. Weight needs to be spread out evenly.

:-)

[linuxtechie]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

We need a sanjay Gandhi.

Or a dictatorship. Populist ideas for controlling population dont work.

Me too miss him...

One clear cut answer, Sanjay Gandhi.

~LT

[ajmat]

Get a good nights sleep instead

[condor]

spawnofsatan : I believe many of our problems are related to our large population. Effective control and reduction measures, if taken will benefit all of us a great deal..

Trying to adjust the resources (land, water, food, fuel, everything else) to population is not going to get us anywhere. Supply is limited, and demand is headed north.

diabloo : Instead of worrying about population control measures, Government must:

1. Provide education to all (more children means more employment opportunities for teachers !!)
2. Improve living standards (provide basic civic amenities to all - clean neighborhoods)

If 1 & 2 are done, population gets automatically controlled.

Some truth in these lines, but at a wrong time. That was true during the early industrial revolution times. At this time, things have gone way too far for focussing on the two points to achieve the population control goal. More direct approach is required - in order to provide the two points that you have mentioned.

But if you still insist on two points to be the path & means to automatically control population, pls have the government also get more land, more water, more food to support the existing population. BUT - without cutting the forests & destroying wildlife.

OT, if anyone thinks we have a lot of forest area - pls have a good ariel view of the world. That will give you a better picture of things - if official figures were not alarming enough.