The RSS Chief said, India’s total fertility rate should be at least 3, which is significantly higher than the replacement rate of 2.1 percent
While speaking at the ‘Kathale Kul (clan) Sammelan’ in Nagpur, Bhagwat emphasized the importance of families and cautioned that, according to population science, if a society’s fertility rate falls below 2.1, it could face the risk of extinction.
“A declining population is a serious concern. Demographic studies suggest that when a society’s total fertility rate falls below 2.1, it risks facing extinction.
This decline does not necessarily require external threats; a society can gradually fade away on its own,” Bhagwat said.
“Many languages and cultures have already disappeared due to this issue. Thus, it is essential to maintain a fertility rate above 2.1,” Bhagwat said.
He emphasized that “kuautumn(family) is an integral part of society, and every family serves as a vital building block.
“Our country’s population policy, formulated either in 1998 or 2002, clearly says that the total fertility rate should not be below 2.1.
Now when we say 2.1, it is not feasible to have children in fraction. So when we say 2.1, this means it should be more, at least three. The population science says so,” Bhagwat said.
India’s Total Fertility Rat, which represents the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime, has decreased from 2.2 to 2, while the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate has risen from 54 percent to 67 percent, according to data from the 2021 National Family Health Survey.
A total fertility rate of 2.1 is considered the replacement rate, essential for maintaining population stability. This rate ensures that a woman and her partner are replaced upon death, preventing any overall population growth or decline.