Controlling population growth

  EVER-growing population is the main problem of developing countries like India. But what is this problem, after all? The answer: the country has become overpopulated in relation to food production or the space available to accommodate the growing numbers.

Economists recommend a double-barrelled attack policy to contain the problem: increasing the industrial and agricultural production, and reducing the absolute number of people.

Since the production of foodgrains is not keeping pace with population growth, we will have to depend upon the second method seriously. Under the second method, an effective family planning approach is to be adopted. Though this device has already been introduced in the country, the results are not very encouraging.

Here are some suggestions:

There should be a population tax after two or three children. It should be levied at a growing rate.

Keeping in view India’s cultural compulsions, some concessions can be allowed. If a family is having two female children and wants one male, it should be exempted up to the third child.

If a family is having two male children and wants one female, only one chance should be given.

If the children suffer from any incorrigible disease, the family should be allowed exemption from tax for one child or two.

If one of the children has been adopted by near relatives, who do not have any issue, the family should be allowed one more child free of population tax. But no family should be permitted to give more than one child to one’s relatives.

Before implementing this policy, the following measures should be adopted by the government.

1. Contraceptives should be freely available to married people. These should not be allowed to be sold in the market.

2. Hospitals should have arrangements for operation of both sexes. There should be free transport arrangement for these purposes.

3. Some new means of recreation should be provided in the villages/cities.

4. Universalisation of education should be strictly implemented. There should be arrangements for free education for female children up to the graduation level.

5. Incentives should be provided to the families which have two female children and do not want further family expansion.

6. The plan of adult education should be strictly implemented. In the villages, every student at the plus two level and above should be given a target to impart education to at least one illiterate as a condition for becoming eligible to obtain a university or board certificate.

Y.P. GUPTA
Chandigarh

CVC’s advice

Corruption in India is a hydra-headed monster, which requires a Lord Krishna to perform a “Kalinga Narthana” to get rid of the poison from the system. Chief Vigilance Commissioner N. Vittal does indeed face a formidable task in his efforts to wipe out this scourge. We can express a sense of relief that he will be ably assisted by two officers of impeccable integrity, the newly appointed Directors of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.

The CVC wants the speedy enactment of a new law: the corrupt Public Servants Forfeiture of Property Act. In addition, it wants the government to hasten issuing executive orders on an Act passed more than a decade ago. The Benami Transaction Prohibition Act. Public opinion should force the government to act on the CVC’s requests without delay. Opposition leaders should function in a non-partisan manner in this matter which is of the greatest national importance.

May I suggest that the CVC should also persuade the government to enact another law, the citizen’s right to know act, which will confer upon the citizen the right to seek any information from the government on matters other than those relating to defence — only those matters classified as top secret. The government has been taking shelter under the Official Secrets Act all these years to the detriment of public interest.

KANGAYAM R. RANGASWAMY
Durham (USA)

(Received in response to the Internet edition)

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Haryana pensioners’ woes

While releasing the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission some time back it was mentioned by the Central government that the pre-1986 retirees’ pension would be fixed on the notional basis after refixing their pay as on 1.1.86. Accordingly, the Central government has desired that all the pre-1986 pensions may be updated by notional fixing of the pay as on 1.1.1986, and thereafter consolidating their pension as on 1.1.96.

Also the Punjab government issued on 21.7.98 similar instructions for its pre-1986 retirees. But no such order has so far been issued by the Haryana government in spite of the fact that the present Chief Minister has repeatedly announced in the Assembly as well as at Press conferences that the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission would be implemented in toto.

Would the Haryana government come to the rescue of its very old pensioners and issue the necessary orders to this effect immediately so as to bring their pensions on a par with those of the post-1986 pensioners.

P. L. MUNJAL
Panchkula