‘8 billion global population an opportunity for India; focus should be on equity and equality’

News Network
November 15, 2022

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New Delhi, Nov 15: The global population reaching eight billion should be seen as an opportunity with people as creators of resources, experts said on Tuesday but stressed that focus should be on equity and equality as well as caring for the aging populace.

The world population touched eight billion on Tuesday and India was the largest contributor to the milestone, having added 177 million people, the United Nations said, noting that for China, which added 73 million people, the projection is its contribution to the next billion in the global population is to be in the negative.

The Population Foundation of India (PFI) said this milestone should be seen as an opportunity for India to plan better and provide a healthy and happy life for all eight billion people. "We must celebrate the day the world population reaches eight billion," it had earlier said.

According to the United Nations' World Population Prospects-2022, released on July 11 (World Population Day), the global population was projected to reach eight billion on November 15.

The report also stated that the global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under one per cent in 2020.

"Given the fact that India is projected to become the most populous country in the world in 2023, some sections have been expressing fear that a high population would be a problem for governance. However, this milestone should be seen as an opportunity to plan better and provide a healthy and happy life for all eight billion of us," the PFI said.

PFI executive director Poonam Muttreja said, "We know that population growth is stabilising across the world. While it took 12 years for the world population to grow from seven to eight billion, it will take approximately 15 years, until 2037, to reach nine billion, suggesting that population growth is slowing down."

"We should now focus on eliminating unmet need for contraception, so that women can decide if they want to have children and if yes, when, how many and at what intervals," she said.

There also must be a stop at creating a false dichotomy between population and limited resources, Muttreja said.

She said a skilled population is a strength and "we must see people as creators of resources".

The obsession with numbers needs to end and the need is to start thinking of "our population as people, in line with the principles of equality and equity", the PFI executive director said.

"We must also broaden our view on the multidimensional relationship between the population and the planet," Muttreja said.

Global evidence shows that a small portion of the world's people use most of the earth's resources and produce most of its greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past 25 years, the richest 10 per cent of the global population has been responsible for more than half of all carbon emissions, she claimed.

Muttreja said going forward, countries such as India also need to put in place public measures to address the needs of the growing aging population. These would include attaining universal health care and improving social security systems, she said.

With the world's population crossing 8 billion, "let us not become knee-jerk and insist that it is the root cause of all our problems nor take the diametrically opposite position that population growth produces no stress especially at a time when climate threats are exacerbating inequality and loss of livelihood, impacting adversely women and all marginal communities the most", Executive director at the Centre for Advocacy and Research, Akhila Sivadas,

"Today more than ever before we need to engage with population increase from a gender equality perspective and focus on human development and build resilience in every sense of the word," she said.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), in a special graphic to mark the global population reaching eight billion, said Asia and Africa have driven much of this growth and they are expected to drive the next billion by 2037, while Europe's contribution will be negative due to declining population.

The world added a billion people in the last 12 years, it said, adding that as the world adds the next billion to its tally of inhabitants, China's contribution will be negative.

"India, the largest contributor to the eight billion (177 million) will surpass China, which was the second largest contributor (73 million) and whose contribution to the next billion will be negative, as the world's most populous nation by 2023," the UNFPA said.

The UN said it took about 12 years for the world population to grow from seven to eight billion, but the next billion is expected to take about 14.5 years (2037), reflecting the slowdown in global growth.

The world population is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and is expected to remain at that level until 2100.

For the increase from seven to eight billion, around 70 per cent of the added population was in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. For the increase from eight to nine billion, these two groups of countries are expected to account for more than 90 per cent of the global growth, the UN said.

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May 15,2025

Bengaluru, May 15: The Karnataka Lokayukta police on Thursday conducted simultaneous raids across multiple districts, including Bengaluru and Mangaluru, targeting government officials suspected of possessing disproportionate assets (DA).

According to Lokayukta police, the raids were carried out on properties linked to seven government officials in Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru, Yadgir, Mangaluru, and Vijayapura districts.

The officials under the scanner are:

Murali T.V., Additional Director, Directorate of Urban and Rural Planning

H.R. Nataraj, Inspector, Legal Metrology, Bengaluru

Anant Kumar, Second Division Assistant, Taluk Office, Hoskote (Bengaluru Rural)

Rajshekar, Project Director, Nirmiti Kendra, Tumakuru

Manjunath, Survey Supervisor, Dakshina Kannada (Mangaluru)

Renuka Satarle, Officer, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Abhivrudhi Nigama, Vijayapura

Umakanth, Officer, Shahpur Taluk, Yadgir district

Raids were conducted at 12 locations in Bengaluru city, eight in Bengaluru Rural, seven in Tumakuru, five in Yadgir, four in Mangaluru, and four in Vijayapura.

The raids followed complaints alleging corruption and accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. A preliminary investigation was carried out into the assets of the officials, their families, and close relatives, after which separate DA cases were registered at respective Lokayukta police stations.

The coordinated operation began at 6 a.m. and was conducted under the supervision of superintendents of police from the respective districts. Deputy superintendents, police inspectors, and other staff were also involved in the raids.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the details of movable and immovable assets seized during the operation. Further information is expected following the completion of assessments at the raided sites.

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News Network
May 10,2025

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In a significant escalation of hostilities, the Indian Army has reported that Pakistan targeted critical civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and school premises, in Srinagar, Awantipur, and Udhampur. This incident marks a severe breach of international norms, with Pakistan's actions drawing widespread condemnation.

Details of the Attacks

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during a press briefing, said that Pakistan's military launched attacks on Indian Army hospitals and educational institutions in these regions. The targeted facilities are located within or near military airbases, raising concerns about the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. The attacks have resulted in significant damage to these establishments, though specific casualty figures are yet to be confirmed.

Indian Army's Response

The Indian Army has termed these actions as "unacceptable" and a direct violation of international humanitarian law. In retaliation, India has initiated "Operation Sindoor," a series of strikes targeting Pakistani military bases and terrorist infrastructure. The operation aims to dismantle terror networks operating from across the border and to send a strong message against such provocations.

The international community has expressed grave concern over the escalation. The United Nations has called for maximum restraint from both nations to prevent further deterioration of the situation. Countries like the United States, Russia, and China have urged India and Pakistan to engage in dialogue and de-escalate tensions.

As of now, the situation remains tense. Both nations have mobilized additional troops along the Line of Control (LoC), and airspace in the affected regions has been restricted. Civilians in the targeted areas have been advised to stay indoors, and emergency services are on high alert to respond to any further incidents.

This development marks a significant turning point in the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, with the targeting of civilian infrastructure raising the stakes of the conflict. The coming days will be crucial in determining the trajectory of relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

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News Network
May 14,2025

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Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered registration of an FIR against state minister Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks targeted at Colonel Sofia Qureshi.

Colonel Qureshi had conducted regular press briefings, sharing details of the 'Operation Sindoor' launched by Indian armed forces to strike terrorists, joined by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh Shah.

The tribal affairs minister and BJP leader, sparked a major controversy with objectionable comments that appeared to be directed at Colonel Qureshi, whom he tried to project as a "sister of terrorists".

Taking suo motu cognisance of the controversial statement, the high court's division bench of Justices Atul Shridharan and Anuradha Shukla ordered the police to register a first information report (FIR) against the minister.

The court directed the police department to file the FIR by 6 pm on Wednesday.

The division bench said the court should be informed about the registration of the FIR.

The next hearing on the petition has been scheduled at 10.30 am on Thursday. A detailed order is awaited.

“Those people (terrorists) who had wiped out the sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters (in the Pahalgam terror attack)... we avenged these people by sending their sister to destroy them. They (terrorists) killed our Hindu brothers. PM Modi ji responded by sending their (terrorists’) sister in an Army plane to strike them in their houses. They (terrorists) made our sisters widows, so Modiji sent the sister of their community to strip them and teach them a lesson”, Mr. Shah said while addressing a gathering in Ramkunda village near Indore.

Shah's remarks drew wide-scale condemnation, with Congress demanding his immediate dismissal from the MP cabinet.

Under severe flak, Shah said if anyone is hurt by his statement, he is ready to apologise 10 times, adding that he respects Colonel Qureshi more than his sister.

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