India and Poverty - Research Paper

Introduction

India is one of the most populated counties in the world. It has an estimated population of about 1.3 billion (Gaurav, Ravallion & Murgai 2). It is the seventh largest country in the world. It has an area of 3, 287, 000 kilometer squared. Over the years, the state has recorded an increase in its Gross Domestic Product, and it has attracted investors in the country. Its Gross domestic product in the year 2018 was estimated to be about 1,644 billion dollars, but this economic growth has not benefited every citizen. About two-thirds of the total population lives below the poverty line, and some of them can hardly even afford basic needs.

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Majority of the two-thirds population lives in the countryside and work in low paying jobs. High unemployment has contributed greatly to the current state of affairs in the country. It has contributed to rural-urban migration, and this has led to an increase in population in these cities. These cities are big in sizes, and they are some of the most populated cities in the world. Mumbai has a population of about 12, 691,836, Delhi 10,927,986, Kolkata has 4,631,392, Bengaluru has 5,104, 047, Seurat 2,894,504, while Kanpur has a population of 2,823,249 (Gaurav, Ravallion & Murgai 4).

These numbers show the population pressure in these cities, and it is clear that everyone cannot get equal chances in terms of getting opportunities. Most people end up in slums where they face a lot of challenges, and the situation does not get any better. Some of the problems these people face include low drinking water, poor garbage disposal, lack of electricity and unemployment. The poor hygiene conditions in the country have contributed the outbreak of diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhus. These diseases claim the lives of both adults and children because the health care system is also poor and in some cases, the people cannot even afford.

Effects of Population Pressure

Low Capital Formation

Population pressure is one of the significant factors that have contributed to the increase in poverty levels (Gaurav, Ravallion & Murgai, p. 56). The population of the country is unevenly distributed, and there are a high number of young people, and this is a challenge in regards to developing a sustainable economy. About thirty-five percent of the total population is made up of children below the ages of fourteen years. This is the legal age that allows one to work and raise some income; however, I also believe that based on the country's education system a twenty years old still depends on their families. Therefore, the dependence rate is very high in the country due to the high unproductive population and therefore it is difficult for most people in the country to at least save some money and improve their lifestyles. This leads to a decrease in the country's capital formation, and this contributes to poverty in the country.

Unemployment

The unemployment rates in India are very high, and this could be attributed to the high population. The unemployment rate in the country is 6.1%, and this is the highest in the country for the past forty-five years. The increase in the population means there are lesser opportunities for the people, and most people end up without jobs. According to a report released by the All India Manufacturer's Organization about 3.5 million people had lost their jobs since 2016. This continues to show the increase in the number of unemployment in the country which could lead to national disaster in the coming years. This is a real menace in the country that requires to be addressed because most of these unemployed individuals could end up in crime or even prostitution.

Food Shortage

The high population has led to a food crisis in the country, and it is difficult for the country to feed the nation. This has increased the number of cases of malnutrition, and this has affected the nation in various aspects. People do not get the required quantities of food due to lack of enough food, and this affects their health. This affects their productivity and causes low per capita income which eventually leads to poverty in the country. The country is forced to import food from other countries to ensure its citizens get adequate food supply. However, considering the country's high population, the country is forced to spend vast sums of money. This money could be used for other developments in the country and improve the lives of the country's citizens.

Pressure on Land

The increase in the population has contributed to a rise in the demand for land. The value of land has increased, and this harms the number of people willing to invest or make use of land. Some people also have neglect practices like agriculture that contributes to an increase in the food supply. They have decided to use the land for other commercial purposes, and this has impacted the productivity of the country negatively. People who cannot afford land are forced to rent houses, and it is difficult for them to make ends meet especially if they lack reliable sources of income.

Environmental Pressure

The population increase has led to environmental degradation, and this has affected the country's economic development. The population pressure, especially in the cities, means there is an increase in the domestic wastes every day. The quality of water, soil, air, forests, fisheries determine the economic development of a country. Poor garbage disposal methods gas led to some of these waters finding their way in the water bodies like rivers and even in the cities. Air pollution, especially from cars and the industries, has led to increased air pollution. Pollution could cause diseases like among people, and this affects their productivity which affects the economy of the country negatively. The pollution also affects other sectors like agriculture by limiting the productivity in theses Ector which is crucial in the country. Lastly, air pollution damages biospheres, and it affects how

Maternity Welfare

The population increase in the country has contributed to a rise in the birth rates. High birth rates jeopardize the health of women, and this is the case in India. Frequent pregnancies affect women's health, and in some cases, they are too weak to deliver the babies. This could lead to an increase in the high death rates among women especially among the young girls who get married early. The death rates could lead to a rise in the number of orphans who depend on their relatives for help making it even harder for such families.

Importance of Addressing Population Pressure

Population pressure is one of the major factors that contributed to the high levels of poverty in the country. Poverty, on the other hand, has contributed to various factors that have affected the country's citizens in various ways. It is the core of most issues faced by citizens in the country, and I believe that addressing the issue will bring out the true picture of the country's situation. Addressing the issue in the country will make it establish some of the changes that would be implemented to ensure everyone gets equal opportunity. There is an increase in the demand public resources which are not enough to serve the current population. This deficit has been contributed by the low development which has led to overcrowding in schools, hospitals as people seek services.

The opportunities available are not enough, and as a result, most people end up unemployed. The governments should realize that due to the population pressure it should create more opportunities for the citizens. Highlighting population pressure also shows the seriousness of the matter at hand. It is clear that looking into the matter will give a clear picture of the effects the population increase has caused in the country. It also easy to identify some of the ways people can be helped to improve their living standards. It will be crucial in showing the challenges experienced by public institutions while trying to offer better services to the citizens.

High Infant Mortality

The poverty that has led to high infant mortality and it is estimated that about 1.4 million children die in the country every year before they reach their fifth birthday. Some of the common causes of these deaths include malaria, malnutrition, and pneumonia. Some of these diseases are preventable, but these families are not in a position to rescue their infants.

Malnutrition

India is one of the countries where people cannot access enough supply of food. About 200,000 can hardly get food, and this has affected approximately 61 million children across the country. The malnutrition has influenced the development of these children, and a lot of underweight births are common in the state.

Child labor

The poverty levels have forced some of the children to work to help their families. The country prohibits, children under the age of fourteen years to work (Gaurav, Ravallion & Murgai 5). However, some of the employers take advantage of these children's situation to employ them and pay them poorly. They are forced to work in the industries, quarries, in farms, and some of them end up in prostitution. It is easy to manipulate children, and that is why most employers hire them. It is clear that these children do not attend school and this is one of the significant factors that contribute to poverty.

Lack of Education

Most children can hardly access quality education in the country (Amit et al. 420). In some cases, the schools are congested, and teachers get a hard time attending to every student. The women are also treated as inferior in most parts of the country, and they are oppressed by their family members. In some cases, the boys are given priority when it comes to getting opportunities, and this affects the girls a lot.

Early Marriages

Early marriages are common in the country, and most young girls have ended up getting married. Most parents believe this will reduce them the burden and their daughters will get better lives. This affects their education, and this means they have not aware of essential family issues like family planning which are very important (Amit et al. 420). They are too early to become mothers, and this has led to maternal complications during birth leading to an increase in the numbers of infant's deaths. In some cases, some of these girls also die during delivery, and this is indeed saddening. This also denies the future generation chances of becoming better, and this means poverty can hardly be eliminated in the country. The population pressure in the country has contributed to poverty among most Indians. Most Indians live below the poverty line, and they can hardly afford basic need and the children do not access schools.

HIV/AIDS

The disease is prevalent in the country, and it is reported that about 2.2 million are infected with the disease. The condition is common in the slums where the illiteracy levels are also high. People living in the slums are not aware of sex education, and some of them cannot even afford condoms to protect themselves for the disease. Consequently, the disease has claimed the lives of many people and most children have been left without people to take care of them. The poor health care in the country has affected by the high population they have to attend to, and these patients do not get the necessary help they require.

Solutions

There are various solutions the government could put in place to improve the state of the country. The government should focus on regulating the population in the country. These measures will improve the state of the country in the coming years, and the existing resources will be enough for every citizen in the country. The government, however, should focus on focusing on empowering its citizens so that they can become independent. There are measures the government can also adapt to ens...