Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Monday, August 28, 2023
India’s Demographic Dividend: Significance of population growth, challenges associated with demographic dividend, potential impact on the economy
According to the United
Nations data, India has surpassed China to become world's most populous
nation with 142.86 crore people.
According
to the United Nations data, India has overtaken China in population recently. India’s population
surpassed 1.4286 billion and it is slightly higher than China’s
1.425 billion. Though India’s birth rate has slowed down in recent
years, the country has a larger working-age population in absolute
numbers (1.1 billion) and proportion (75 percent of the
population) than any other major economy.
On the
other hand, China is ageing, with its population declining in 2022for the first time in
more than 60 years. Its economic growth, which had
skyrocketed at an average of nearly 10 percent a year since
1978, is now anaemic: The country’s gross domestic product
(GDP) grew just 3 percent in 2022, and even by Beijing’s own
estimates, is expected to increase by just5 percent this year.
Demographic dividend:
In this
context a term
that has become
a buzzword is “Demographic dividend”
which refers to the faith in India's huge youth population
which is expected to hoist India up with its energy and
exuberance. India with its huge population is a young country and
is bestowed with a unique demographic opportunity.
Policymakers
began viewing a growing young population in the form of the so-called
demographic dividend — when a majority of a country’s
population falls within the working ages (15-64 years) — as an engine
for further economic development.
According to
United Nations Population
Fund report, 25 percent of
India's population is in the
age group of
0-14 years, 18 per cent in the 10 to 19 age group, 26
per cent in
the age bracket
of 10 to
24 years, 68
per cent in 15 to 64
years age group,
and 7 per
cent above 65
years. A demographic dividend is said to be occurring
when the ratio of the working-age population is high and the
dependency ratio in terms of the proportion of children and
elderly people is low. This advantage can create the resources needed to
increase investments in enhancing human capabilities,
which, in turn, can have a positive influence on the growth and
development of the society and the country.
There is need to harness
this ‘demographic dividend’ for the nation’s economic growth
and youth empowerment. According to a CII report from last year, India’s
demographic dividend can boost India's GDP growth — from the
current $3 trillion to $9 trillion by 2030 and $40 trillion
by 2047. While India is likely to add 101 million people in the
working age population between 2020-30, this number will reduce to 61
million and then to 21 million for 2030-40 and 2040-50,
respectively. It is expected that India's working age population will
start declining in the decade post 2050.
From a demographic perspective, a youthful age structure ensures that the global population will continue to grow even if average fertility drops immediately to the “replacement level”, at which each generation bears the exact number of children needed to replace itself. Indeed, fully two thirds of the anticipated increase in global population between 2020 and 2050 will be driven by the momentum of growth embedded in the relatively youthful age distribution of the world’s population in 2020.A large working-age population makes India attractive, not just from the labour market perspective but because the country could act as a large market for goods and services. The Demographic dividend has already helped India’s economic growth since the 1990s and country succeeded quite well in moving people from farms to factories. This was a cultural change caused by policy interventions and helped by the demographic changes.
Challenges
associated with high population growth:
There is no denying the fact that
high population growth rates impose pressure on finite resources, human,
financial, and environmental. Evidence suggests that less than one-third of the
anticipated increase in the use of natural resources until 2050 would be the
result of population growth. Rapid population increase can exacerbate the
challenge of ensuring that future development is sustainable and inclusive.
Achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals, particularly those related to health,
education and gender equality, can contribute to slowing global population
growth.
Population growth magnifies the
harmful impact of economic processes on the environment; yet the rise in per
capita income has been more important than population growth in driving increased production
and consumption. Rapid population growth makes it more difficult
for low-income and
lower-middle-income
countries to afford
the increase in public
expenditures on a per capita basis that is needed to eradicate poverty,
end hunger and malnutrition, and ensure universal access to
health care, education and other essential services.
India
has successfully slowed down the growth of the population significantly over
the past decades without resorting to coercive practices. It has
invested strategically to tap its demographic advantage and
position itself as the provider of manpower for countries across the
world, where aging and the non-availability of workers are posing
serious challenges. Yet for that young workforce to earn and save
well, India needs enough well-paying jobs designed to serve the
modern economy. That’s increasingly proving a struggle for India. It is wrong to say
that India’s youth bulge is a double-edged sword. To gain from it,
India will need to create enough employment opportunities for the
millions who enter its workforce every year — a challenge at
which it is currently failing. For that, India needs to attract
global investments. The window of opportunity is shrinking, and
unless India moves quickly, its demographic dividend could easily
turn into an unemployment nightmare.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs
The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform our world:
- GOAL 1: No Poverty
- GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
- GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
- GOAL 4: Quality Education
- GOAL 5: Gender Equality
- GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality
- GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- GOAL 13: Climate Action
- GOAL 14: Life Below Water
- GOAL 15: Life on Land
- GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
- GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Status of Mangrove Plantations
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been implementing a project titled ‘Wetlands management for biodiversity and climate protection’, at four Ramsar Sites in India. Under this project, Climate Risk Assessment (CRA) studies have been conducted at four sites namely, Pong Dam Lake and Renuka Lake in Himachal Pradesh, Bhitarkanika Mangroves in Odisha and Point Calimere Wetland Complex in Tamil Nadu. The project has developed an assessment methodology for site-level climate risk assessment and demonstrated how climate risks could be integrated into the wetland management plan at the site level towards capturing climate co- benefits while maintaining the wise use approach of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. The experience and lessons learnt have been consolidated into a publication ‘Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner’s Guide’, to serve as an important capacity development tool for Wetland Managers.
MoEFCC provides financial assistance to coastal States to undertake activities related to conservation and management of coastal ecosystems such as mangrove plantation, shelterbelt plantation, coral transplantation, enhancement of livelihood security of coastal communities including capacity building. Management Action Plans (MAP) for conservation and management of mangroves are formulated and implemented in 9 coastal States covering 38 identified mangrove sites. The list is at Annexure.
As per the India State of Forest Report, 2021, the mangrove cover in the country has been estimated at 4992 sq km with net increment of 17 sq.km in the year 2021 as compared to 2019.
To augment India’s efforts in afforestation, the Union budget 2023-24 announced ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’ programme. The aim of the MISTHI Scheme is to protect and revive mangrove ecosystems on the Indian coast while enhancing the socio-economic status of coastal communities. The programme is based on convergence of resources from various ongoing and proposed schemes at Central and State level, with an objective to develop and restore the potential sites of mangroves with the help of State Governments.
List of identified sites for conservation and Management of Mangroves
ANNEXURE
Sl. No. | State / UT | Mangrove Site |
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Odisha
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Andhra Pradesh
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Tamil Nadu
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Andaman and Nicobar |
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Kerala
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Karnataka
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Gujarat
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Goa |
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Maharashtra |
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Development of Eco-Parks in the country
The concept of Eco-parks encourages harmony with the nature, society, forests and wildlife. Eco-restoration activities have been taken up cross-sectorally under various programmes/funding sources of other ministries/ organizations and also through State Plan budgets. Though, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change does not have any specific programme for developing Eco-parks, it has taken various initiatives through programmes and schemes that encourages eco-restoration of degraded areas namely Nagar Van Yojana, School Nursery Yojana, National Mission for a Green India etc.
The following steps taken by the Government contribute to eco-restoration, preservation and development of forest areas in the country:
For preservation and protection of forest & wildlife, various laws including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Indian Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and other central/state laws as applicable to a State/UT, are implemented by the respective State Government /UT Administration.
Nagar Van Yojana envisages creating a Nagar Van / Nagar Vatika in each City having Municipal Corporation/Municipal council/Municipality/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for providing wholesome healthy living environment for the residents and thus contributing to growth of clean, green, healthy and sustainable cities.
MoEF&CC, Govt. of India entrusted Indian Council Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for rejuvenation of thirteen major Indian rivers namely Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Cauvery through forestry interventions. These DPRs include rejuvenation measures which inter alia includes Eco-park developments, avenue plantations, riverside plantations, river front development, Biodiversity conservation model, etc. as per site conditions.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM), under which, in addition to other sub-missions, there is a specific sub-mission for enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. Urban forestry is a permissible activity under the provisions of Compensatory Fund Act, 2016 and the Rules made thereunder.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs which focuses on development of basic infrastructure in the selected cities and towns, has the provisions for developing green spaces and parks.
Ministry of Coal converts suitable mine areas, after exhaustion of reserves, into eco-parks, sites for water sports, underground mine tourism, golf grounds, adventure, bird watching etc. These sites have good potential for recreation, revenue generation and employment for local people.
Natural calamities in the country
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in 2020 has published a Climate Change report titled ‘Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’ which contains a comprehensive assessment of the impact of climate change upon the Indian subcontinent. The highlights of the report are as follows:
1. India’s average temperature has risen by around 0.7oC during 1901-2018.
2. Frequency of daily precipitation extremes (rainfall intensities >150 mm per day) increased by about 75% during 1950-2015.
3. The frequency and spatial extent of droughts over India has increased significantly during 1951-2015.
4. Sea-level rise in the North Indian Ocean occurred at a rate of 3.3 mm per year in the last two and half decades (1993-2017)
5. Frequency of Severe Cyclonic Storms over Arabian sea has increased during the post monsoon seasons of 1998-2018.
IMD has implemented Impact Based Forecast (IBF) in the recent past which gives details of what the weather will do rather than what the weather will be. It contains the details of impacts expected from the severe weather elements and guidelines to general public about do's and don'ts while getting exposed to severe weather. These guidelines are finalised in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and is already implemented successfully for cyclone, heat wave, thunderstorm and heavy rainfall. Work is in progress to implement the same for other severe weather elements.
The forecasts and warnings are disseminated to users including disaster managers by e-mail on regular basis. In addition to this, WhatsApp groups are created including disaster managers and IMD officials and forecast & warnings are disseminated through this facility also. The forecast & Warnings are uploaded in social media & website for reference by all concerned. The nowcasts related to Severe Weathers are disseminated through SMS also to the registered users.
In addition to this, as and when the situation arises, Press Releases are issued by IMD and the same are also disseminated by all the platforms mentioned above.
IMD has taken various initiatives in recent years for improvement in dissemination of weather forecast and warning services based on latest tools and technologies. In 2020, IMD has launched seven of its services (Current Weather, Nowcast, City Forecast, Rainfall Information, Tourism Forecast, Warnings and Cyclone) with ‘UMANG’ mobile App for use by public. Moreover, in 2020, IMD had developed mobile App ‘MAUSAM’ for weather forecasting, ‘Meghdoot’ for Agromet advisory dissemination and ‘Damini’ for lightning alert.
Recently IMD has brought out a web based online “Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India” prepared for the thirteen most hazardous meteorological events, which cause extensive damages, economic, human, and animal losses. The climate Hazard and vulnerability atlas will help state government authorities and Disaster Management Agencies for planning and taking appropriate action to tackle various extreme weather events. This atlas also helps IMD to issue impact-based forecast for various extreme weather events.
For modernization, expansion and improvement in Weather & Climate services, various activities are underway in IMD under the umbrella Central Sector Scheme named “Atmosphere & Climate Research-modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)”. There are 4 sub-schemes of IMD under ACROSS namely, Atmospheric Observation Network (AON), Upgradation of Forecast System (UFS), Weather & Climate Services (WCS) and Commissioning of Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radars (PDWR).
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
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