Can India reap the benefits of its Demographic Dividend? (by Parashar Talukdar) – APSC Mains Essay

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Can India reap the benefit of its demographic dividend – APSC Mains Essay

(Essay submitted in APSC Mains Essay Writing Contest 2019 – Essay Topics for week 2)

 

Can India reap the benefit of its demographic dividend?

By Parashar Talukdar

 

Meaning– Demographic Dividend means rise in the economic growth rate due to rising share of working age population. It is said to be occurring when the working age population is high and the dependency ratio of children and elderly population is low. In the deveped countries, like China, US and Japan, where this average age of working class is increasing, India is getting youthful day by day.

Pattern in India– Reports say that about 30% of the country’s population are in the age group 0-14 years. The elderly people (60 or more years) population is low (8%). The working age group (15-55 years) population is about 62%. In 2036, India can boast of highest working population of 65%. However, this pattern is not same in all the states. The states in the north is found to be more youthful than the states of South and West.

Benefits of India’s Democratic Dividend- According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the window of democratic dividend opportunity in India is available for 5 decades, from 2005-2006 to 2055-56. This is the most precious aspect of  India. So this is a high time for us to engage our youths to productive works. Besides , the youths joining Defence forces can make India strong. Even with all the drawbacks we have, this particular Indian aspect is going to prove in making India the world leader in the the comming years.

Planning a required to reap the benefits- With the rise of young population, there is a rise in unemployment parallely. As the Agriculture and the Services sector are already saturated with work force, very few opportunities are available there. The vast proportion of educated unemployed should be shifted to the manufacture sector.

The youth should get skill development training. Already the incumbent Government has launched Skill- India campaign. Under this campaign various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikash Yojana, DeenDayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, Financial Assistance for Skill Training of PwD etc.

Through the Make in India campaign, our PM has welcome foreign investors to invest in India. It is not expensive for them because they can easily find cheap labour force. In Assam, Advantage Assam campaign fulfill he similar purpose. With schemes like Start up India, Stand up India, scope has been provided to young entrepreneurs. In order to finance them, MUDRA Bank was established.

The Demographic Dividend is also the backbone of our Defence mechanism. In the comming years, India need to channelise more and more youths to the defence services.

Way Ahead – India still need some effective planning to realise it’s Demographic Dividend. The focus in the states where the window of Demographic Dividend is closing soon should be to adopt.

[ 450 Words ]

 

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