Abstract

Development planning initiatives and related policy formulation often treats population in a very rudimentary form. For ages the place of demographic ingredients in planning is not only weaker than economics but also sociology. Development policy formulation, on paper, though taken out by a body of ‘professionals’ but in reality it’s more political than professional. It’s true that the allocation of funds to the states is often based on population but a meeting of organizations such as Development Council and Niti Ayog etc., the voting power of Sikkim with less than 1 million and Mizoram with little over 1 million population are equal to Bihar with 130 million and Uttar Pradesh (UP) with over 240 million population running. But when it comes to the number of MPs in the parliament that takes nearly all the development related decisions in principle UP has much more strength than Mizoram or Sikkim. Unfortunately, the demographic characteristics are not considered as strongly as the number is counted. With the present kind of arrangement when there will be recasting of the number of MPs after a census is conducted in the post-2026 period, the Hindi speaking states will be having 2.4 times more MPs than the entire South India. In fact, UP alone will have nearly as many MPs as the entire South India will have. Under such a situation making demographic inputs more conspicuous is the need of the hour. Inclusion of demographics inputs in development planning is also required to harvest the benefit of much desired ‘Demographic Dividend’. Else it will be too late as the window of demographic will close in another 30 years. Thus, building human capital needs greater emphasis on demography in development planning. Else there is apprehension that ‘India will turn old before she gets rich’. 

Short Bio of the speaker

Dr. A K M Anwaruzzaman is a Professor in the Department of Geography, Aliah University,  Kolkata. He received his Ph.D. degree from North Bengal University, Darjeeling. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies from Aligarh Muslim University, JNU and CEPT. He is an experienced researcher in the field of Population Geography, Political Geography and Political Economy with a number of projects under his credit, sponsored by the UGC and Ahmedabad Management Association etc. His research interest includes fertility differentials, environmental refugee, Political Demography, development, and displacement as well as protection of rights of marginalised and subaltern population and advocacy.