NEW DELHI: Amid a rising population and growing concern over its implications, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Thursday urged the Prime Minister to formulate a national population management policy centred on education, access to family planning services, and region-specific strategies to ensure sustainable and balanced development.
The BJP MP from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also expressed serious concern over population growth.
The letter stated that with the country’s population exceeding 1.4 billion, India stands at a “pivotal demographic juncture”, warning that rapid population growth is leading to urban congestion, placing strain on ecological balance, and worsening unemployment.
“While the population remains a valuable asset and a source of immense human capital, it is also exerting increasing pressure on natural resources, infrastructure, employment opportunities, and public services such as healthcare and education,” Khandelwal has stated in his letter.
He also mentioned, “Rapid population growth is contributing to urban congestion, rising unemployment, environmental stress and strain on essential services. If not addressed through a structured policy framework, these challenges may hinder our journey towards becoming a developed nation.”
He further added that India is experiencing a significant demographic dividend, with a large proportion of young people entering the workforce.
“With effective population management and planning, this can be harnessed to accelerate economic growth. However, without timely intervention, this opportunity could turn into a demographic burden,” he said.
Outlining the benefits of a National Population Management Policy, he added that such a policy would help align population levels with economic capacity and resource availability, strengthen healthcare, education and infrastructure planning, and enhance the overall quality of life for citizens across multiple sectors of development.
He also suggested that the policy should be based on awareness, education, and public participation, while ensuring universal access to family planning services and promoting women’s empowerment.
In what could trigger further debate, Khandelwal wrote that a national population management policy should adopt region-specific strategies to address varying population growth trends across different states.
“A well-designed National Population Management Policy will further strengthen India’s path towards a Viksit Bharat by ensuring that our demographic strength translates into economic and social prosperity,” he remarked.