Indian Minister Giriraj Singh bats for population control act to compete with developed nations

Reiterating his demand for Population Control Act in India, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday, July 11, said that the rising population of the country has become a challenge for us. Singh advocated for a population control law and said, "If we have to stand with developed nations then we need to bring the population control Act."

Speaking on World Population Day 2020, Giriraj Singh, in a video statement said: "The rising population has become a challenge for us. If we want to stand with developed nations then we'll have to bring the population Control Act - a strict Act which will be applicable to everyone in this country regardless of any religion they follow."

Singh said that the population can be both an asset and a liability at times. "Today, the population boom in India has become a challenge. There is a need to control it. Because, the way our population is rising. We have over 18 percent of the world population. Whereas we only have 2 percent of the total land and 4 percent of the water," he added.

World Population Day 2020

This day focuses on multiple challenges - health, economic and social - that people across the world are facing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "Human rights can't be quarantined," said the United Nation body, working on global population issues, ahead of World Population Day. Reproductive health, family planning and mental health - among other issues - have taken a backseat as medical resources have been stretched due to the pandemic.

The United Nations Development Programme recommended the introduction of World Population Day in 1989, inspired by the public interest and awareness that was created by "Five Billion Day" on July 11, 1987 when the world's population reached 5 billion.

(With agency inputs)