According to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometers, the current world population is 7.9 billion which could attain a growth level of 9-12 billion before the year 2050. The implications of this magnitude of population growth are too evident to need elaboration. For, it is obvious that the utilization of natural resources, faster than their regeneration or renewal, would lead to scarcity, poverty and pollution and, what is more serious, it will exacerbate rural conflicts, social tensions, political instability and increase in crime and violence.
Back home, the population scenario in India is all the more serious. Based on most recent UN data, India's population is estimated at 1.38 billion which is a matter of great worry. India was the first country to start the family planning programme.
But the methods which India emphasized, were not in keeping with the Indian ethos. Instead of building proper attitudes of its people, it made the people dependent on contraceptive devices, pills, vasectomies, tubectomies and other operative skills even knowing that these impinge on the psyche and also the most sensitive elements of human anatomy.
As a result, people, instead of taking upon themselves the responsibility, became too casual in the matter of family growth. In fact, the whole strategy and the methodology made the family planning schemes look like purely governmental programmes, devoid of motivation and participation of people and they seemed to be a techno-managerial or medico-administrative exercise.
It is now well-established that when female literacy goes up, fertility goes down and the number of early marriages also decreases. So, if the girls in the age-groups 6-10 get primary education, both spiritual and secular, there is a definite transformatory effect on them which lasts even after they reach the reproductive age. So, the best solution would be to give at least two kinds of primary education to girls.
If we make use of our spiritual heritage and educate people about the value of Celibacy and give them the primary spiritual education about the identity of the self, the dependence of our people on doctors, clinics, chemists, operative techniques, etc. would be very much reduced if not totally eliminated and this would reduce the monetary burden and build up a sense of responsibility in the people and would motivate and involve them in the implementation of family planning programmes, for they would be aware of the goal of their life and the benefits of Celibacy and spirituality.
(The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and UK. You can write to him at nikunjji@gmail.com or visit http://www.brahmakumaris.com/)
