India nears population stability: 31 of 36 states/ UTs at replacement level

More than 65% of India's population is within the reproductive age group, highlighting the importance of offering them choices to avoid the burden of unplanned family growth

As many as 31 out of 36 states in India have attained a replacement fertility level of 2.1, which is the average number of children per woman required to sustain a steady population size, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Five states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Manipur are the remaining states where fertility rates exceed the desired replacement level.

Emphasising that India accounts for one-fifth of the world’s population, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda said India should renew efforts toward achieving population stabilisation.

“The goal of Viksit Bharat can only be achieved when the health of India’s families is well maintained which can be achieved by smaller families.” Nadda said.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said that more than 65 per cent of India’s population falls in the reproductive age group which makes it pertinent to ensure that they are provided with choices and not burdened with unplanned family growth.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel emphasised the importance of providing choices to India’s reproductive-age population, which comprises over 65 per cent of the country's total. She said that it is crucial to prevent unplanned family growth to ensure their well-being.

Three-phase family planning programme

Talking about the family planning programme by the Centre, she said, “While earlier it used to be a two-phased program, it has now been expanded to three phases: preparatory phase, community participation and service delivery.”
 

Patel emphasised that after seven decades of family programme initiatives, 31 out of 36 states and union territories have achieved the replacement level of total fertility rate (TFR). She urged Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Manipur to undertake focused efforts to reduce their TFR.

Talking about the National Family Planning Programme, Anupriya Patel noted a significant rise in modern contraceptive use, which has grown from 47.8 per cent in NFHS-4 to 56.5 per cent in NFHS-5.

“It is also encouraging to note that the acceptance of modern contraceptives in the country has increased to over 56 per cent,” she said.

She further said, “NFHS 5 data shows an overall positive shift towards spacing methods which would be instrumental in impacting positively the maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. The unmet need for family planning has declined to 9.4 from 12.9 (NFHS IV) which is an encouraging achievement.”

India’s population to start shrinking in 38 years: UN

India’s population is projected to reach its peak of 1.701 billion by 2062, according to the United Nations (UN) World Population Prospects report.

This indicates that the country has 38 years before reaching its maximum population. Presently, India holds the title of the most populous country in the world and is expected to maintain this status until the end of the century, the report stated.

According to the United Nations data, India’s population is expected to begin decreasing between January and July 2062. That year, the population will increase by around 222,000.

Following this, the population is expected to decline, with a projected decrease of about 115,000 people in 2063. This decline is expected to grow, with a reduction of around 437,000 people in 2064 and 793,000 in 2065.