From The Hindu Archives, January 12, 1976: Drastic steps to check rise in population

Bombay, Jan. 11: A package of incentives and disincentives for tackling the alarming population problem is under the consideration of the Union Government, Dr. Karan Singh, Union Minister for Health and Family Planning, said here to-day.

Speaking at a function after giving away awards for best performance in respect of family planning achieved by various districts of Maharashtra, the Minister said India’s population was rising menacingly and was proving to be a drain on the economy.

Drastic steps had to be taken to check this menace, even if it meant difficulties or displeasure to some, Dr. Karan Singh said.

He said the family planning programme would continue to be voluntary, but stressed that if the current steps failed to check the growth, then the Government might not hesitate to make the population control measures compulsory.

The population of the country, he said, was growing at the rate of one crore every year more than the population of Australia. By the turn of the century, it would cross the 100-crore mark, Dr. Karan Singh said.

Family planning programmes had to be propagated more in the country’s villages, as 80 per cent of the population was rural-based. “The time is now ripe for every individual to be involved in this national programme,” Dr. Karan Singh said.

He congratulated Maharashtra for being in the forefront of family planning programmes and noted with satisfaction its target of 5.1 lakh sterilisations which was more than the Union Government’s expectations of 3.18 lakh sterilisations.