Clipped from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/demographic-watershed/article37756972.ece?homepage=true
NFHS-5 has good news on population growth rates and sex ratios
There are at least four heart-warming takeaways from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) — conducted in two phases between June 2019 and April 2021, covering 6.3 lakh rural and urban households. First, the sex ratio of the population stands at 1,020 women for 1,000 men, a historic high and a major turnaround from 991:1,000 in NFHS 4 conducted in 2015-16. Second, there has been a fall in total fertility rate (TFR) below replacement levels of 2.1 children per woman, to two, against 2.2 in NFHS 4. In simple terms, this means India’s population may have begun to fall, which is also borne out by the reduced proportion of people below 15 years of age. This should put paid to alarmism over India’s population — although this is still growing in a few States. Third, infant mortality and maternal mortality rates continue to fall, while access to institutional care has improved. Fourth, gender indices such as female literacy, operating a bank account, use of clean cooking fuel and menstrual hygiene have shown a major improvement. This perhaps points to the outreach of flagship welfare schemes. Health insurance coverage has improved as well. Empowerment through literacy becomes the stepping stone for gains in other spaces.
The survey throws up some pain points on the health front, such as a rise in anaemia, hypertension and obesity. Lifestyle-related disorders have come into focus in the context of the pandemic. Overall, the improvement in social indices should not detract from the fact that higher investments in health and education are a pre-requisite for a robust economy and society. There’s no other route to get there.
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