While India has surpassed China to become the most populous nation in the world, one of its states is grappling with falling birth rates
While India has raced ahead of China to become the most populous country in the world, Sikkim is facing the enigma of falling birth rates. / Photo: Reuters Archive
Lepcha comes from Sikkim, a state located in the Himalayas at the farthest corner of India. While India has raced ahead of China to become the most populous country in the world, Sikkim is facing the enigma of falling birth rates. With a Total Fertility Rate of less than 1.1 — the lowest among all the Indian states — Sikkim’s population is shrinking at an alarming rate. .
“This is a matter of grave concern,” says Alok Vajpeyi, who works for Population Foundation of India, an NGO. From the state parliament to government offices and private businesses, women in Sikkim work side by side with men. But two new laws in India including the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act - passed last year - have made it difficult to find donors.
This, in turn, will affect the economy, as the state will have to mobilise resources to extend financial support to the elderly and address their healthcare needs.
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