How serious is the problem with India's population crossing the one-billion mark?
Today, India is the second largest populated country after China. If the present growth rate continues, India will soon surpass China. It is only now that the prime minister has taken a serious view of the problem and has set up a Population Commission to tackle the issue. If we continue to have a high population growth rate, it will only retard the economic growth.

I feel a population of one billion is certainly a liability in the present situation. In order to make this a real asset or a human power, intensive efforts and multi-pronged attack will be required not only in family planning, but also in other key areas such as education, health and women's status.

What India really lacks is a human development index which can really help in analysing the extent of poverty caused by rising population.

Can the new population policy help in checking rising population?
The new Population Policy is very comprehensive and focuses on 12 strategic themes to achieve the 14 socio-demographic goals by 2010. This policy is a break from the past as it focuses on the development of essential infrastructure. The policy covers various dimensions such as convergence of service delivery at village levels, empowerment of women, child survival, nutrition, unmet need for family welfare services, and under-served groups such as tribals and adolescents.

Though all our policies are excellent on paper, it all depends on how they are implemented. Whatever is the new approach, it generally works well in the states which have already achieved low fertility and mortality rates. All-India population growth rate depends on how effectively the four large North Indian states -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh -- implement the policies. These are the states, which contribute more than 40 per cent to India's population growth.

Can India follow the Chinese methodology in reducing its birth rate?
Until a few years ago, China was a highly populated country, but today it is remarkable to see that its population has dropped to lower levels. Not only that China has been able to cut down the growth rate in its population, it has also been able to educate its masses on the importance of having a small family. Many argue that India will not be able to follow such a policy, as it has a democratic form of government where exercise of power is far more restricted than the communist setup. Not only has China taken concrete steps, but has also tried to improve literacy and women employment levels in the country. They have followed the announced measures very seriously and have alongside announced monetary benefits to small families.

Single- child free education and additional monetary benefits have all helped improve the quality of life of its people. China has been successful in reducing its population growth partly because they have a different political system and they can implement even the one-child policy but their success cannot be entirely attributed to the compulsion factor. They have reduced their infant mortality rate to the level 31 per 1000. In India, this rate is still as high as 68 per 1000 and in some states it is above 80. People in India do not accept the small-family norm unless they are assured that their children will survive. Education is another force which brings about change in the attitude of people. China already has nearly 100 percent literacy. What India should learn from China is that it is important not only to reduce the numbers, but also to improve the quality of its population.

Apart from government efforts, what more should be done to reduce population growth in India?
For many years, no one took the problem seriously. Today, when the problem has become colossal, all focus is being laid on resolving the issue. Every budget sets aside large outlays for social and human development. This year the government is focusing all out on family welfare programmes. Stress is being placed on the rural aspect, as it is more problematic. Migration into urban areas is resulting in stress and environmental problems. Every year, the government announces family welfare programmes, free supply of contraceptives and mass education, but these measures seem to be having no immediate impact on the population numbers. What India really needs to do now is to tackle the problem at the root level. Rural masses need to be made aware of the problems associated with large families and the benefits of having a small family. Population control is not just a matter of supplying contraceptives. People's attitude needs to be changed. Education and exposure to mass media are the key factors here. Healthservices, especially maternal and child health services, must reach all.

Only 42 percent of deliveries in India are attended by health workers. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, this percentage is as low as 23. Access to safe drinking water is also crucial because majority of infant deaths are due to water-borne diseases.

How is India different from other developed countries as far as the fertility rate is concerned ?
A look at the data from developed countries proves just the opposite. Most European countries, Japan, Italy,and France are facing a shortage in their population numbers. Falling population is a cause for concern for much of the developed world. Their problem is exactly the reverse of India's. While India faces high fertility rates, they face declining fertility. In India, it is not so much the birth rate that is alarming, but it is the fall in the death rate that is aggravating the problem. Low fertility rates are associated with high level of labour migrating into these regions. Developed countries are facing a fall in their population because their fertility rates have reached replacement level, one mother is replaced by one daughter. In Eastern European countries, growth rate is negative because birth rate is lower than the death rate. Developed countries are doing exactly the opposite of what developing countries do by encouraging advanced medical sciences to improve the fertility levels amongcouples, encouraging early marriages to increase the number of child-bearing years and supplying improved medicines to stimulate the reproductive process.

What do you see as the future trend in India's population?
For many years in the past, population growth was not addressed as a severe problem as it was viewed as an asset for the country. But today, eyes have opened and prime minister has said that if the problem is not tackled immediately, it would become a grave problem in the future. All the fruits of development would be lost, as a rise in population results in lowered per capita needs of the population and reduced growth benefits per head. The population commission has promised that it would try and reduce the growth rate and that by 2054, India would have a stable population. But current statistics go to prove that India's growth rate if not lowered will make India the world leader in population.

If current trends continue, India's population in 2010 will be 1162 million. But, if we could achieve a total fertility rate of 2. 1 children per woman by 2010, our population will be 1107 million. According to the projections by UN, India's population will be 1,699 million by 2050 and China's population will be 1,521 million.

Why is a growing rural population is more worrisome in India?
In India, the problem is more with its rural population. In rural India, level of illiteracy is very high and unemployment is also prevalent. Rural population is a bigger problem, because they have lower contraceptive prevalence rate. Even if they accept sterilisation, they do it late, perhaps after three or four children. In the agricultural set-up, children are perceived to be assets.

High rural population results in migration of labour which overpopulates the urban centres resulting in growing number of slums and unavailability of medical, sanitation and housing facilities. It also increases the pollution level.

What further measures need to be taken to curb the population growth rate?
Soon, India will be the most populated nation in th world, if policies announced are not immediately implemented. Effective policy implementation is needed, especially in four large North Indian states.