logo
Total Fertility Rate remains constant at 2.0 in 2021: report

Total Fertility Rate remains constant at 2.0 in 2021: report

The Hindu11-05-2025

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), the average number of children per woman, in the country has remained constant at 2.0 in 2021, the same as the year 2020, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on May 7.
Bihar has reported the highest TFR at 3.0, while Delhi and West Bengal reported the lowest TFR of 1.4.
The report said there had been a gradual decline in the share of population in the age group of 0-14 from 41.2% in 1971 to 24.8% in 2021. The 'proportion of the economically active population between 15-59 years has increased from 53.4% to 66.2% during the same period,' the report said.
The elderly population has gone up from 5.3% to 5.9% for 65+ age group and 6% to 9% for 60+ age group during the same period.
Elderly population
Kerala recorded the highest percentage of population in the age group of 60 and above with 14.4% of the total population falling under this category. Tamil Nadu 12.9% and Himachal Pradesh 12.3% are the other two States with the highest percentage of elderly population, the report said. On the other hand, Bihar 6.9%, Assam 7% and Delhi 7.1% have the lowest percentage of the population in the age group of 60 and above.
The mean age at effective marriage for females has increased from 19.3 years in 1990 to 22.5 years in 2021.
As Census is usually counted every 10 years, SRS is the largest demographic survey in the country mandated to provide annual estimates of fertility and mortality indicators at the State and national level. The survey was conducted in 8,842 sample units across all States, covering about 84 lakh sample population.
During the 2024 interim budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a high-power committee to consider the challenges arising from 'fast population growth and demographic changes.' Though the committee is yet to be formed, the announcement suggested there has been 'fast' population growth in the country, however the SRS data says otherwise. A comprehensive pattern will emerge after the Census is conducted, pending since 2021 and which was last conducted in 2011.
'It is noteworthy that the replacement level TFR, viz. 2.1, has been attained at the national level, along with Delhi 1.4, West Bengal 1.4, Tamil Nadu 1.5, Andhra Pradesh 1.5, Jammu and Kashmir 1.5, Kerala 1.5, Maharashtra 1.5, Punjab 1.5, Himachal Pradesh 1.6, Telangana 1.6, Karnataka 1.6, Odisha 1.8, Uttarakhand 1.8, Gujarat 2.0, Haryana 2.0 and Assam 2.1,' the report said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India's population reaches 146.39 crore, fertility rate drops below replacement level: UN report
India's population reaches 146.39 crore, fertility rate drops below replacement level: UN report

The Hindu

time6 hours ago

  • The Hindu

India's population reaches 146.39 crore, fertility rate drops below replacement level: UN report

India's population is estimated to have reached 146.39 crore by April, says a new UN demographic report, which adds that the country's total fertility rate (TFR) has declined to 1.9, falling below the replacement level of 2.1. The population is expected to grow to 170 crore before starting to dip in about 40 years, the report titled 'State of the World Population 2025: The Real Fertility Crisis' says. It calls India the 'world's most populous nation', while pegging former leader China's current population at 141.61 crore. The demographic indicators in the United Nations Population Fund report for 2025 are close to India's own projection of its population published in 2019 by a technical group of experts. According to these projections, India, as of 2025, is estimated to have a population of 141.10 crore. The decennial Census, due to have been conducted in 2021, has been delayed and the government has now announced that it will be completed by March 2027. The last Census was conducted in 2011. According to the latest Sample Registration System statistical report published by the Office of the Registrar General of India for 2021, the TFR in India was 2.0, the same as the year before, with the report saying that the replacement level TFR 'has been attained' nationally. The TFR measures the number of children a woman is expected to have throughout their reproductive age. Replacement level TFR is the rate needed for each generation to replace the previous generation's population. The real crisis The UN report says that millions of people are not able to realise their real fertility goals. Calling this the 'real' crisis, and not overpopulation or underpopulation, the report calls for the pursuit of reproductive agency — a person's ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception and starting a family — in a changing world. India's youth population remains significant, with about 24% of the population in the age bracket of 0-14, 17% in age group of 10-19, and 26% in the age group of 10-24. Further, the report estimates that 68% of the population in India is of working age (15-64 years). The elderly population (65 and older) currently stands at 7%, a figure that is expected to rise in the coming decades as life expectancy improves, it adds, confirming the projections the government in India has been working with. The UN report says that as of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women. The report says its statistical tables on demographic indicators 'draw on nationally representative household surveys' such as 'Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), United Nations organizations estimates, and inter-agency estimates'. 'They also include the latest population estimates and projections from World Population Prospects: The 2024 revision, and Model-based Estimates and Projections of Family Planning Indicators 2024 (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division),' it adds.

Pakistan Budget FY26: From GDP to fiscal deficit, capital expenditure, here's how it stands against India
Pakistan Budget FY26: From GDP to fiscal deficit, capital expenditure, here's how it stands against India

Economic Times

time8 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Pakistan Budget FY26: From GDP to fiscal deficit, capital expenditure, here's how it stands against India

Pakistan unveiled its FY26 federal budget, reducing spending by 7% to $62 billion. The nation targets 3.6% growth. Fiscal deficit aims for 3.9% of GDP. Capital expenditure is set at Pakistan Rs 17.57 trillion. Nominal GDP growth is projected at 4.2% for 2025-26. This follows a 2.7% growth this fiscal year. The government aims to stabilize the economy. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads After facing major blows following tensions with India, Pakistan announced its federal budget for FY26 on Tuesday, shrinking overall spending by 7% with growth target at 4.2% for the fiscal Pakistan's growth lags far behind the region. In 2024, South Asian countries grew by an average of 5.8% and 6.0% growth is expected in 2025, according to the Asian Development India bombed nine terror sites of Pakistan, the country in its Budget FY26 increased its defence expenditure by 20%. The government of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented a budget that allocated $9 billion for defence spending in debt has increased to PRs 76,000 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, according to the economic survey, which indicated that the cash-strapped country's economy is likely to grow by 2.7 per cent this minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the fiscal deficit for FY25 is projected at 4.8% of GDP, with a target of 4.4% for the other hand, Pakistan has set a target of 3.9% of its capital expenditure of India was lowered to Rs 10.18 lakh crore from Rs 11.11 lakh crore estimated earlier for FY25. Pakistan on Tuesday set it at PRs 17.57 Budget 2025-26, India has set a nominal GDP growth target of 10.1% for FY26, slightly above the 9.7% achieved in the previous fiscal. Sharif's government has projected 4.2% economic growth in 2025-26. Growth in Pakistan this fiscal year is likely to be 2.7%, against an initial target of 3.6% set in the budget last debt has increased to PRs 76,000 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, according to the economic survey, which indicated that the cash-strapped country's economy is likely to grow by 2.7 per cent this the first nine months of the current fiscal year, the government's debt increased to PRs (Pakistani Rupees) 76,000 billion, including PRs 51,500 billion from local banks and PRs 24,500 billion in loans from external sources, according to the document, which comes a day before the presentation of the a press conference after launching the economic survey, Aurangzeb said the GDP growth in 2023 was -0.2pc, which rose to 2.5pc in Pakistan Finance Minister said that the forex reserves as of June 30, 2024, were $9.4 billion, which was a remarkable recovery from 2023 when Pakistan was down to two weeks of import cover. He said foreign exchange reserves rose to $16.64 billion in 2025.

South Indian states will be engines of growth, says Dharmendra Pradhan
South Indian states will be engines of growth, says Dharmendra Pradhan

The Hindu

time9 hours ago

  • The Hindu

South Indian states will be engines of growth, says Dharmendra Pradhan

South Indian states with progressive governments will be the growth engines for the country as it strives to become a developed nation by 2047. The entire nation is proud of them, said Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday. The Centre has not yet made any strategy on the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, he said, and quoted Union Home Minister Amit Shah to say that there would be no discrimination against the South states on this count. Talking to the media to present a progress report on the 11 years of Modi Government, he said that the tentative Census schedule has been released and women's quota too has to be taken into account. South along with Western India, especially Maharashtra and Gujarat, will continue to be ahead of the rest of the country due to their historical background, knowledge base and hard work. Mr. Pradhan also justified more private universities pointing out that enrolment in higher education need to be enhanced from the current 27% to 50% by 2035. 'We need more colleges, quality educational institutions, and universities. We have recently opened up the sector for foreign universities. But, 75% students continue to study in government funded institutions,' he said. Golden period On the Centre's performance front, the Minister claimed that the last 11 years will be judged by history as a 'golden period' because of the manner in which the country had prospered economically by becoming the fourth largest and having drastically reduced poverty rates. 'From a fragile economy, we have become a destination for global investments. Our digital payment system has cut corruption, and government capex has increased to ₹12 lakh crore from ₹2/3 lakh crore. Our government comprises 60% SC/ST/BCs. It will be remembered as a welfare, caring and sensitive government for the common people,' he said. 'Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have delivered a transparent, decisive and trustworthy governance,' he added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store