Low Birth Rate in Bengal

In the Government review of the Sanitary Administration Report of the Bengal Presidency, we find that the birth rate was more or less stationary for some years and fell by 2.06 per mille in 1915. This is attributed to economic poverty and deficiency in food supply due to high prices and unfavourable agricultural conditions. People are living from hand to mouth, and when the food supply is deficient they stint themselves. There is thus a check on the population growth.