Within India, fertility rates diverge dramatically from state to state, reflecting a significant north-south divide.
NEW DELHI — In recent weeks, two pregnant women in India — Vaishnavi Logabiran and Malika Begum — gave birth to a boy and a girl, adding two newcomers to an Indian population of 1.4 billion that U.N. officials say is now overtaking China’s to become the world’s largest.The babies were born weeks apart. But in many ways, they were born into two different Indias.
Vaishnavi’s daughter was born in a Tamil Nadu hospital about 30 miles from the Bay of Bengal. Malika’s son arrived in a village clinic in northern Bihar, near the Himalayan foothills.
“It’s very stressful to have so many children,” Malika said as Roza, her second child, clung to her leg, wailing for attention. “What’s happened has happened. At least it was a son.”Soon after India gained independence in 1947, its leaders took measures to curb birthrates, which were hovering around six children per woman. Demographers warned of a “population bomb.
While the north has made strides in recent years, a significant gap remains. According to the 2021 national family survey, 84 percent of Tamil Nadu women are now literate, compared with 55 percent in Bihar, the lowest in India. Forty-six percent of married women in Tamil Nadu were employed in the last 12 months, versus 19.2 percent of married Bihari women.
The preference for sons has led to a gender imbalance in India. The ratio of baby boys to girls began to surge in the 1970s with the introduction of prenatal testing and legalized abortions. But national data shows the imbalance has finally been shrinking within the past decade as the Modi government carried out a massive campaign to discourage sex-selection abortions.
In Bihar, the pressure on public-sector employment is so great that cuts to government job openings or in military recruitment often spark riots. Meanwhile, southern states such as Tamil Nadu, which is expecting to see its population decline sometime in the next decade, has seen an influx of northern migrant laborers, occasionally leading to friction.Last month, YouTubers in Bihar were arrested for making a fake video alleging migrant workers were beaten in Tamil Nadu.
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
IMF warns hard landing ‘within the realm of possibilities' for U.S. economyThe IMF said Wednesday that a U.S. economic downturn remains 'within the realm of possibilities,' despite encouraging data to the upside.
Leer más »
3 armored trucks robbed at gunpoint within hours of each other in Chicago areaThree armored trucks were robbed at gunpoint Wednesday in Chicago, Lansing and Calumet City.
Leer más »
Boulder police investigating 'unusually high number of overdoses' within 36-hour periodThe Boulder Police Department is asking for the public's help following an 'unusually high number of overdoses.'
Leer más »
Three armored trucks robbed within hours in Chicago: policeChicago police are investigating three armored truck robberies that occurred just hours apart Wednesday.
Leer más »
Brinks armored trucks robbed in Calumet City, Lansing, Bridgeport within hoursThe FBI is investigating if the robberies are connected.
Leer más »