Curbing population growth: Challenges and expectations from Modi govt

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made a provision in this year’s interim budget to constitute a High Power Committee to comprehensively consider the challenges arising from rapidly increasing population and demographic changes. Probably this is the result of the continuous voice being raised for population control across the country.This is why on August 15, 2019, on the occasion of the first Independence Day after the formation of his second government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort for population control to strive for a good future for their next generation by becoming responsible parents.Before making any kind of policy regarding population control, it was necessary to abolish different personal laws and implement a uniform civil code for all communities. It was started by the Uttarakhand government of Pushkar Singh Dhami with the formation of an expert committee to prepare the draft of the Uniform Civil Code in the year 2022. After long discussions with the people of Uttarakhand and stakeholders, the draft of the Uniform Civil Code, Uttarakhand, 2024, submitted by the Expert Committee to the Government of Uttarakhand, was passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly on February 7, 2024. At present, the work of preparing its rules and regulations is being done by another committee. Soon after the rules are prepared, the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in Uttarakhand.Many other states and central governments are also waiting for the same. Now the eyes of the country are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2024, on the occasion of the first Independence Day after the formation of his third government, whether he will be able to make laws like Uniform Civil Code and Population Control in the country during his tenure of this coalition government?To fulfil his dream of One Nation One Election, it is also necessary that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should quickly complete the census which has been postponed since 2021 and constitute a Delimitation Commission. Demographic changes also affect Indian