Question

Explain how poverty in India is caused by the growth of population.

Answer 1

Poverty in India is significantly caused by the rapid growth of population, especially among the poor. The poor often lack awareness of birth control methods or ignore their importance, leading to unnecessarily large families. Many poor families consider having more children, particularly male children, as an asset for income generation and old-age security. This population growth reduces the per capita income since the national income is divided among a larger population, thereby lowering the standard of living. Consequently, the fast population growth aggravates poverty by putting excessive pressure on limited resources and employment opportunities, resulting in widespread low income and poor living conditions.