On July 11th 1987, the world's estimated population was five billion, enough to set alarm bells ringing at
the UN headquarters. It was decided that the issue merited a special campaign. This year the world has crossed the 6 billion
mark.
India's contribution is nearly one billion, nearly a sixth of the entire number of people on this earth. To give
India its due credit, it must be mentioned that it was among the first countries to introduce family planning on the government agenda.
And despite the presence of the superstitious and the religious among its populace there was no opposition to the concept.
India has set itself demographic goals for Y2K. It hopes to bring down the birth rate to 21/1000 and death rate
to 9/1000. It is advocating small families (from an average size of 4.2 to 2.3) with a view to stabilising population by 2050.
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