Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Population priorities: On Interim Budget statement and the Census

Population priorities: On Interim Budget statement and the Census

No survey can substitute the Census (जनगणना), which is yet to be conducted for this decade (दशक)

In what was an intriguing (दिलचस्प, आकर्षक) statement in her Interim (अन्तरिम) Budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that a high-powered (उच्च स्तरीय) committee (समिति) will be constituted (गठित करना, स्थापित करना) to consider the challenges arising from “fast population growth and demographic (जनसांख्यिकीय) changes”. With the Union government repeatedly postponing (स्थगित करना) the decennial (दशवार्षिक) Census — it has not been conducted for the first time in a decade since 1881 — there is no direct evidence to support this statement. It is evident that India is now the most populous (densely populated) country, but the Sample Registration System (a large scale demographic sample survey which is being conducted in a random sample of villages and urban blocks and is based on the idea that with an adequate machinery for recording of births and deaths as they occur and with proper supervision at all levels, it is possible to obtain reliable estimates of vital rates at the State and National level) statistical report in 2020 and the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) have shown that the total fertility rate (TFR) (the average number of children a woman would give birth to during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years (15-49 years) experiencing the present day age-specific fertility rates) in India has fallen to 2 overall, with only a few States — Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.91), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26) and Manipur (2.17) — having a TFR above 2.1. Clearly, the high population growth of the kind (similar to what has been told/mentioned; used to describe something that exists but is not very good) seen in the 20th century has been largely (काफी हद तक) arrested (गिरफ़्तार करना) — the TFR fell from 5.7 in 1950 to 2 in 2020, albeit (यद्यपि) differentially (dissimilarly, contrastingly, differently, divergently) across regions. The population share of the southern States, reduced to 21% in 2011 from 26% in 1951, largely a consequence (परिणाम, नतीजा) of a rapid reduction in TFR due to better socio-economic (relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects) outcomes and education, and despite higher migration (the movement of people within the borders of the same country or across international borders in order to find work or better living conditions) to these States. While the surveys mentioned are robust (strong, powerful) and necessary, they are no substitute for the comprehensive (all-inclusive, broad-based; all-embracing, universal, complete, thorough) Census; the continued delay in its implementation reflects poorly on the Union Home Ministry that is motivated by other priorities rather than (instead of) executing (carry out, implement, perform) a vital programme of Indian governance (the act of governing something; administration).

The demographic shift (it describes changes in the size and structure of the population, caused by changes in birth and death rates, as well as migration) in India and rising life expectancy (the number of years a person can expect to live (based on the statistical average)) have resulted in (cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to) challenges and opportunities. The much touted demographic dividend (it is defined as a boost in economic productivity that occurs when there are growing numbers of people in the workforce relative to the number of dependents (or) it is the accelerated development that can arise when a population has a relatively large proportion of working-age people coupled with effective human capital investment. A term used to describe the period when a greater proportion of the population of a country is young and in the working age-group. It indicates increase in growth as a result of higher proportion of working age people in the total population of a country) — the relatively (comparatively, fairly, reasonably, satisfactorily) high proportion (percentage, ratio, magnitude, scale) of the working age population in the developing world — is meaningful only if there are sufficient jobs and if they enjoy some degree of social security (Social security is the protection that a society/government provides to individuals and households to ensure access to health care and to guarantee income security, particularly in cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury, maternity or loss of a breadwinner; welfare, government/state benefit, public assistance) that will help them when they age (grow old). With high unemployment and the creation of non-farm jobs, which will increase productivity and cater to (present someone with what is needed; try to satisfy/fulfil a need of; please, satisfy, gratify) skilled (relating to certain requirements in terms of their profession, knowledge, experience, skills and (educational) qualifications) employment, relatively slack (inactive, sluggish, slow, inefficient, stagnant) in the last few years, there is the possibility of the country squandering (waste, misspend, misuse, throw away, dissipate, fritter away, run through, lose, lavish, spend recklessly/unwisely) this dividend (benefit, advantage, reward, gain; share, portion, percentage). The “high-powered” committee will be performing a crucial role if it engages (participate in, take part in, go in for) meaningfully in addressing (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) questions related to jobs and social security and the challenges citizens face due to rapid urbanisation (a process of creating urban areas. It is a result of population migration from rural areas in addition to natural urban demographic growth) and mechanisation of work. However, if the committee focuses on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s pet bogies of looking at population issues through the lens (views, perceptions) of religion and immigration (the act of leaving one’s countries and moving to another country of which they are not natives, nor citizens, to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens), it will only distract (divert, deflect, sidetrack, turn away) governance from making use of the fast eroding ((gradually) reduce, undermine, weaken, spoil, deteriorate, wear out) democratic dividend in the country.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.interim (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अन्तरिम
English Meaning - provisional, temporary, short-term, transitional.

2.census (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनगणना
English Meaning - an official survey, particularly of a population.

3.decade (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दशक
English Meaning - a period of ten years.

4.intriguing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दिलचस्प, आकर्षक
English Meaning - fascinating, interesting, captivating, compelling.

5.high-powered (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उच्च स्तरीय
English Meaning - dynamic, vigorous, robust, prominent, renowned, energetic, famous.

6.committee (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समिति
English Meaning - commission, council, panel, advisory body.

7.constitute (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गठित करना, स्थापित करना
English Meaning - create, set up, form, establish.

8.demographic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जनसांख्यिकीय
English Meaning - relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings.

9.postpone (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थगित करना
English Meaning - put back, hold off, defer, delay, suspend, shelve, mothball.

10.decennial (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दशवार्षिक
English Meaning - recurring every ten years.

11.National Family Health Survey (NFHS) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राष्ट्रीय परिवार स्वास्थ्य सर्वेक्षण
English Meaning - a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. Three rounds of the survey have been conducted since the first survey in 1992-93. The survey provides state and national information for India on fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family planning, maternal and child health, reproductive health, nutrition, anemia, utilization and quality of health and family planning services.

12.largely (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - काफी हद तक
English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

13.arrest (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गिरफ़्तार करना
English Meaning - stop, halt, end.

14.albeit (conjunction)

Hindi Meaning - यद्यपि
English Meaning - though, even though, however.

15.consequence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम, नतीजा
English Meaning - outcome, result, effect, ramification, reverberation, repercussion.

16.populous (adjective)

English Meaning - densely populated.

17.Sample Registration System (SRS) (noun)

English Meaning - a large scale demographic sample survey which is being conducted in a random sample of villages and urban blocks and is based on the idea that with an adequate machinery for recording of births and deaths as they occur and with proper supervision at all levels, it is possible to obtain reliable estimates of vital rates at the State and National level.

18.National Family Health Survey 2019-20 (NFHS-5) (noun)

English Meaning - the fifth in the NFHS series, NFHS-5 conducted in 2019-20, provides information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each state and union territory. All five NFHS surveys have been conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India.

19.total fertility rate (TFR) (noun)

English Meaning - the average number of children a woman would give birth to during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years (15-49 years) experiencing the present day age-specific fertility rates.

20.of the kind (phrase)

English Meaning - similar to what has been told/mentioned; used to describe something that exists but is not very good.

21.differentially (adverb)

English Meaning - dissimilarly, contrastingly, differently, divergently.

22.socio-economic (noun)

English Meaning - relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects.

23.migration (noun)

English Meaning - the movement of people within the borders of the same country or across international borders in order to find work or better living conditions.

24.robust (adjective)

English Meaning - strong, powerful.

25.comprehensive (adjective)

English Meaning - all-inclusive, broad-based; all-embracing, universal, complete, thorough.

26.reflect poorly on someone/something (phrase)

English Meaning - to make someone/something to look bad; to damage someone’s/something’s reputation.

27.rather than (phrase)

English Meaning - instead of.

28.execute (verb)

English Meaning - carry out, implement, perform.

29.governance (noun)

English Meaning - the act of governing something; administration.

30.demographic shift (noun)

English Meaning - it describes changes in the size and structure of the population, caused by changes in birth and death rates, as well as migration.

31.life expectancy (noun)

English Meaning - the number of years a person can expect to live (based on the statistical average).

32.result in (verb)

English Meaning - cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to.

33.much-touted (adjective)

English Meaning - praised, supported, commended highly.

34.demographic dividend (noun)

English Meaning - it is defined as a boost in economic productivity that occurs when there are growing numbers of people in the workforce relative to the number of dependents (or) it is the accelerated development that can arise when a population has a relatively large proportion of working-age people coupled with effective human capital investment. A term used to describe the period when a greater proportion of the population of a country is young and in the working age-group. It indicates increase in growth as a result of higher proportion of working age people in the total population of a country.

35.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - comparatively, fairly, reasonably, satisfactorily.

36.proportion (noun)

English Meaning - percentage, ratio, magnitude, scale.

37.degree (noun)

English Meaning - level, amount, extent.

38.social security (noun)

English Meaning - Social security is the protection that a society/government provides to individuals and households to ensure access to health care and to guarantee income security, particularly in cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury, maternity or loss of a breadwinner; welfare, government/state benefit, public assistance.

39.age (verb)

English Meaning - grow old.

40.cater to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - present someone with what is needed; try to satisfy/fulfil a need of; please, satisfy, gratify.

41.skilled (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to certain requirements in terms of their profession, knowledge, experience, skills and (educational) qualifications.

42.slack (adjective)

English Meaning - inactive, sluggish, slow, inefficient, stagnant.

43.squander (verb)

English Meaning - waste, misspend, misuse, throw away, dissipate, fritter away, run through, lose, lavish, spend recklessly/unwisely.

44.dividend (noun)

English Meaning - benefit, advantage, reward, gain; share, portion, percentage.

45.engage (verb)

English Meaning - participate in, take part in, go in for.

46.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

47.urbanisation (noun)

English Meaning - a process of creating urban areas. It is a result of population migration from rural areas in addition to natural urban demographic growth.

48.mechanisation (noun)

English Meaning - the introduction of machines or automatic devices.

49.bogey (noun)

English Meaning - a source of fear; a source of confusion; bane, anathema, abomination, nightmare, curse, bugbear; evil spirit, ghost, phantom, demon, spectre, threat, menace.

50.lens (noun)

English Meaning - views, perceptions.

51.immigration (noun)

English Meaning - the act of leaving one’s countries and moving to another country of which they are not natives, nor citizens, to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens.

52.distract (verb)

English Meaning - divert, deflect, sidetrack, turn away,.

53.make use of (phrase)

English Meaning - use, utilize, employ, bring to bear, operate, apply, exercise, harness.

54.erode (verb)

English Meaning - (gradually) reduce, undermine, weaken, spoil, deteriorate, wear out.