MARGAO, SEPT 19
Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik has said that India may overtake China in the near future with country’s population increasing five fold.
Naik who was addressing the delegates at a conference in Tokyo, Japan, inaugurated by former Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fakuda, on population and development organized by Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, further said that
on 2.4% of world area, India supports 17.1% population, and added “despite our population programmes , we continue to ‘produce’ one Australia ,every year”.
He said that although India has not been able to effectively implement its population policy, which is due to social factors, India was the first country in 1952, to launch national programme emphasizing family planning, adding “as early as in 1925 Dr.R.D.Karve opened the first family clinic in Mumbai.
Saying that India’s program is voluntary , Naik said that, through freezing of seats of the two Houses of Parliament till 2026, and through implementation Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929,Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, Pre-Natal Diagnostice Technics (Regulation of Prevention of Misuse) Act,1994, India has adopted a rational way of managing its population.
”India has now stressed to carry message of family planning through village panchaysts and municipal bodies”, he said and mentioned about the effective implementation of
Prevention of Domestic Violence Act in India.
Delegates from India, Japan, Zambia, Vietnam, Tanzania, Philipines, Pakistan, Lao PDR, Kenya,Indonasia,Cambodia participated in the delegation. Naik received loud applause when he thanked all the delegates in their respective languages.
Three- member Indian delegation was led by Prof. P.J.Kurien M.P. with Shri Manmohar Sharma , Executive Secretary of Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development accompanying the delegation. Mr Naik had the privilege of addressing
the delegates on behalf of Indian Delegation.
Naik also presented the former Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fakuda ,who hosted an breakfast exclusively to the three member Indian delegation, a mini bronze idol of Lord Ganesh.
