From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 11: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar emphasised the need for making family planning a mass movement as smaller families would help in the happiness of families.

Participating in the World Population Day organised by the Health and Family Welfare Department, he said it was a good augury that the population of the younger generation was large even though the country’s total population was nearing the 140 crore mark.

The improvement in the health services and advances in medicine has helped in increasing the maximum average age to 65-70 years. In advanced countries, the population of people of 80 and above is more. Countries like Japan, Italy, Spain etc., have larger proportion of senior citizens while the population of youth is less. But in India, about 60% of population comprises of below 35 and this is an asset, he said pointing out that the larger proportion of youth has helped the country, he said.

In the past, most families used to have four to five children and undivided family system was more predominant. However, it is gradually vanishing, he said.

Dr Sudhakar said smaller families with two children instead of four will reduce the burden on health care and enable the families to spend more on the upbringing of children and their education. Even though the country’s population has risen by 6 to 7 times, the geographical area is same and the natural resources like air, water etc., will not increase. There will be more pressure on land, increasing urbanisation and demand for better health care, education and infrastructure as well as jobs will increase.

The minister suggested that health staff, especially Asha workers must take the lead in educating the people and creating public awareness. All the health facilities must also take a proactive role in creating public awareness on population control and family planning, he added.