Thursday, November 1, 2007

The Relationship Between Fertility and Socio Economic Development in India

For many years it has been known that in virtually no human population has the level of fertility ever approached the potential biological maximum. Scholar have long been aware that such factors as constrains on marriage, prolonged breastfeeding, periods of separation or abstinence, abortion and disease have exerted a restraining influence on fertility.

India has been made progress in economic, social, demographic and health fields. But there exist a very wide regional disparity is the achievement of various stages of demographic transition. The recent population projection y the Registrar General revealed that India would reach the replacement level of fertility only in the year 2026.But many states namely Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh had already reached replacement level of fertility. The southern state Karnataka will reach the same only in the year 2009.The large Hindi speaking states namely Bihar, Utter Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan will reach the replacement level only by the year 2038(RGI, 1996). The divergence gives opportunities to researchers for examine the inter-regional variation in the demographic outcomes in India.

India is in the midst of a demographic transition that exhibits striking spatial differences. From the intrinsic importance of understanding this pattern of decline, the diversity of the Indian experience provides an opportunity to reexamine various interpretations of the fertility transition. India, it may be recalled, was one of the first countries in he world to introduce a national family planning programmatic the 1950,to reduce population growth is at long last appears to be undergoing fertility declines of notable proportions. However, neither the speed of
decline, nor the areas contributing to the fall are a matter of complete unanimity.

In the early days ‘Population Control’ appeared as a emerging issue. Then came more gentle approach, “development is the best Contraceptive”. The notion of development it self evolved as awareness grew that economic growth. But over time the focus shifted from economic growth to social development had gained a great place in both to better living condition and to reducing population growth.

Many researchers are argued that India is not a model of social development but many states, in India, are showing progressive picture in terms of fertility decline. Its progress owes to the improvement of female literacy and decline infant mortality and as well as other socio-economic indicators are not neglected so far.
by
Debarati Sarkar

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