New Delhi, 23. August: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday his countrys burgeoning population could be turned into a national asset.
– A person may be regarded by society as a liability (belastning) if he or she cannot be a productive member of society, Singh told a forum of parliamentarians in New Delhi.
– However, we can convert a liability into an asset (fordel/værdi) by investing in education, health and skills and it is such investment that not only enriches and liberates individual lives but also contributes to national progress, he said.
Indias population is expected to grow from the present 1,08 billion to 1,63 billion people by 2050, overtaking China which is forecast to reach 1,44 billion by the same year from 1,3 billion currently, according to the Washington-based Population Reference Bureau.
But Singh said Indias health and population policies were “areas of national concern.”
– There is a vital link between reproductive health, the health of mother and child and the general health of the entire family, the prime minister stated.
Seventy-two out of every 1.000 babies born die before their first birthday, while seven percent of newborns perish within a year of birth mainly due to malnutrition, diseases or infections, according to India’s most recent census.
Singhs comments came as the government of the eastern state of Orissa said it would introduce a measure in the legislative assembly to impose a tax on couples with more than two children, The Hindustan Times reported.
The state finance commission said it planned to impose an annual levy of 60 rupees (1,30 dollars) on couples who have a third child. The coastal state, which is one of the poorest in the country, has a population of 36,7 million people.
Kilde: The Push Journal
