India has a current population of over a billion and it is the 7th largest country. With increased population, India is all set to surpass China and become the most populous country by the year 2027, meaning eight years from now.
Going by the statistics, the population of China stands at 138.64 crore and India has 133.92 people.
A United Nations report adds that Earth will be home to 9.7 billion people in 2050 and by 2100 the number will hike to 11 billion.
India will hold a massive population 10 times higher than America despite the fact that it is one-third the size of the US.
The UN report also added that the population would grow at a steady pace than it had predicated two years ago.
India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the US are expected to have more population in the times to come.
The report also signifies the fact that in 2050 about 16 per cent of the world’s population will be over 65 years of age, compared with 9 per cent now.
The question arises whether is India prepared for all these big challenges?
With India expected to hold the position throughout the 21st century, it is more important to prioritise healthcare and agriculture sector to sustain a population so large.
Lack of sanitation facilities is one more big challenge that India is facing. Despite many efforts being made to provide clean water to households and build toilets in every house, the development numbers are still poor. So, India should consider doubling the efforts keeping in mind that the population is rising.
PM Narendra Modi had announced that every house will have complete access to clean water by 2024.