Tackling Delimitation by Reversing Population Control

Source: This post on Tackling Delimitation by Reversing Population Control has been created based on Tackling delimitation by reversing population control published in The Hindu on 2^ND January 2025. 

UPSC Syllabus topic: GS -2-Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context: The article delves into the complexities of the proposed delimitation exercise in India and its implications for political representation, particularly in southern states such as Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These states, which have successfully implemented fertility control measures and achieved lower population growth, are now facing the potential loss of parliamentary seats. Tackling Delimitation by Reversing Population Control

Why are the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu concerned about delimitation?

1. The Chief Ministers are concerned because the proposed delimitation exercise could reduce the number of parliamentary seats for southern States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
2. This is due to their success in fertility transition, leading to a smaller share of the national population compared to northern States. Success in “family planning” might reduce their political representation in Parliament.

What policy changes has Andhra Pradesh considered regarding population control?

1. Andhra Pradesh is considering reversing its earlier law that barred people with more than two children from contesting local body elections.
2. The State is now contemplating rewarding families with more children to counteract declining fertility

Can fertility decline be reversed effectively through state intervention?

1. Fertility decline is generally irreversible through interventions, though minor natural reversals are possible.
2. Efforts in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea to incentivize higher fertility have largely failed.

What lessons can be learned from China’s one-child policy?

1. China’s one-child policy led to significant issues such as an imbalanced marriage market, a high dependency ratio, and extremely low fertility rates.
2. Forced reproductive regulations often result in demographic and social crises, showing the importance of balancing population control measures.

How does population momentum affect regional demographics in India?

While fertility rates are converging across Indian States, population momentum has kept the demographic divide wide between regions, with northern States having higher populations compared to the southern States.

Is population count a fair criterion for political representation in India?

1. Relying solely on population count for political representation could be unfair to regions that have achieved development through population control.
2. A balanced approach, incorporating educational and demographic characteristics, is needed.

What are the challenges women face in reversing fertility trends?

1. Encouraging women to have more children imposes a significant personal cost, as the state’s support for additional children and compensation for reproductive responsibilities is often inadequate.
2. Fertility decline, while beneficial at a macro level, has not adequately addressed the personal challenges faced by women.

Can migration address regional population imbalances?

1. Migration could help address immediate regional population imbalances.
2. However, long-term solutions require revising political representation criteria to value capability characteristics rather than solely population counts.

What is the ultimate solution to the delimitation issue?

1. Instead of reversing fertility, the solution lies in revising count-based political representation.
2. This would ensure fairness for States that have succeeded in population control and development.