The problems of resource management and equal sharing are only going to get much worse. Although India was the first country to adopt a family planning program as official policy, India's population is still growing at a rate that threatens to cause even more serious social and environmental problems in the future. What should the world's largest electoral democracy do about this problem? Politicians have frequently placed the desire of winning elections above the long-term good of the nation. However, it is important to rise above such expedient pressures.
Given the magnitude of the problem, any Indian government ought to be fully justified in enforcing the one-child norm in the entire country, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. It is China’s ruthless control of its population during the past 25 years that has catapulted it into the position of a superpower today. Perhaps a more serious debate is needed in India on whether it should continue with its two-child policy or opt for a one-child policy. It might also be worthwhile to consider the experience of China, and investigate how aspects of China's population policy might be effectively implemented in the Indian context.
