11 states- Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal as also two union territories- Andaman and Nicobar Islands,Chandigarh and Pondicherry, have achieved the TFR target. TFR target is 2.
Bihar, UP and MP would take another 15 to 20 years to achieve the TFR target.
TFR of 2 is generally accepted for sustainable development.  And also we will overtake china in population by 2030.

vinod

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Dear Mr. Ananthram,

I see the dichotomy and while I agree development must be sustainable, I think most people have not understood what sustainability itself means! Should it not mean that all development must be done in such a way that it does not "kill" everything around the development including ultimately man himself?

I think sustainable development is the only way by which there can be development and yet at the same time it will be development that helps mankind live better lives, greener lives and aesthetically pleasing lives.

A movement by right thinking people at both micro and macro level to push for more and more sustainable development is the only answer. Gone are the days when Indians bycotted British goods and services. Now we should embrace globalisation only as far as it supports sustainable development. Hang the tendency to think indigenous goods and services must be preferred over better technologies even if they be unsustainable.

More grist for the mill!

Regards,

Chari

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Chari Sir,

I am with you on this line of seeking solutions to global problems about sustainable development, particularly with reference to underdeveloped/developing nations who are being eyed by the rest of the so called developed nations that are ready with sanctions against any country at the drop of a pin. 

We are ready to play ball provided...the followng

/Now we should embrace globalisation only as far as it supports sustainable development./   Yes wecan.  World is looking at India how it is managing its global economical recession and its progress; we have the ability of creating global standards for sustainable development for people and our traditional thinking and farsighted invetment methods have withstood the test of global recession scenario to an appreciable extent.

The latest figure - Indian industry's manufactured goods contribution to GDP is hardly 17 per cent   But is it comparable and commensurate with the energy consumed for such a low return?  

It is time to rejig our needs and requirements - domestic and export - reassess availability and generation capacities of power sector, prorata utilisations and other parameters so that we can prudently utilise the available natural resources for class action demand and supply purposes. 

Also reassess the transport sector - create class action efficient, economical and sustainable mass transport system to wean away solo gurglers of scarce energy resources.

This may be called sustainable development.

- Vasanth Mysoremath

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Which of the above two comes first? It is a dichotomy for sure. However my point is not about the dichotomy. It is about exponential growth be it population or development. It is mathematically proven that an exponential function has a point discontinuity. 

Let us take an example of simple Mathematics pertaining to trigonometry. If you plot the Tangent function wrt to the angle Theta, it has a discontinuity at an angle PI or simply 90 degrees. More simply put it is like an edge of a precipice. Example Tippus fall at Nandi hills. 

The population of India when we got our Independence was 40 Crores. To day it is 120. It is a fact population growth will be exponential unless it is controlled by epidemics, natural calamities, family planning or the like. In order to sustain the population growth we have to match it with an equally exponential “Development”. There no dichotomy here, but “inconvenient truth” number 0.

If you see the human knowledge development it is exponential. The first computer came only in 1964.  We are heading towards migrating out of the planet. The terrorists be it Alquida, Naxal or Mao etc are the pointers to the under lying unrest.

We may keep saying we will have controlled development. But is it really feasible, especially when our population is uncontrolled. There is no simple solution as we may like to believe. I would like to be proven wrong.

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Friends,

The erudite responses to my observation begs a response from me - so here I go:

1. Why cannot development and sustainability co-exist?

2. Why is it presumed that "importing" technology means it is an infra dig action on our part?

3. Can Public Sector survevive without private sector and vice versa? Government may spend crores on developing infrastructure, but do they manufacture the bitumen that they require to build the roads or the pipes to carry sewage? This is not my original observation - actually made by some other Praja member, but it struck me as being a profound truth.

4. Why, if we protest importing technology, do we protest when Obama passes legislation to protect Bufallow tech companies from  Bangalore ITes?

5. Why dont people value excellence over any and everything that is indigenous?

6. God merely made human beings while man made Nations and built barriers with "your" and "mine" concepts. Are we so insecure that we cannot see beyond the Nation? What benefits humanity must necessarily benefit Nations and therefore the individual.

As the great Philosopher / Teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti said "In the Problem is the Solution" !! Think about it please.

Regards

RKC

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 VKM sir,

Being a member of Indian Audit and account department is it possible for you to audit our resource management? What about auditing and accounting our population? Your expertise will be immensely useful in this area.

As far as I understand our population is growing rapidly till now. The rich and well to do are having limited families. So the solution may lye in lifting enough people above the line of poverty.

Can we have your comments please.

PSA

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Chari sir,

 I had taken special precaution in avoiding any tangential or scholarly remarks creeping in to my comments or posts. However my apologies if any thing is amiss in my comments above. I am open to deletion in case moderators feel so.

The facts about population given by vinod_Shankar would be alarming. May be we can manage by extending our selves to take up that challenge. Mine is a more theoretical assertion that exponential growth is having a point singularity. This is by no means a scholarly statement when mathematically speaking. I did not nor do intend to be snobbish either. Erudite means learned but actually it is rude. I had to refer a dictionery for the meaning of this word.

The important issue is about population explosion as referred by vinod_Shankar. Please refer my comment above "Accounting and auditing".

PSA

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Do take a look at this video series on how simple arithmetic applies to population and energy and ultimately an insight into sustainability on this planet.

I found it extremely interesting and compelling viewing. My own views on bottomline for sustainability is here and is closely linked to the views expressed in the video.

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This is a scale model of Masdar city planned in UAE displayed at the green architecture section of Louisiana in Copenhagen.  Designed by Foster + Partners the city will rely entirely on solar energyand other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology. What impressed me was those blue circular multi storied parking lots around the edge of the city. The reason they have those is that automobiles are going to be banned in the entire city. Also notice the elevated train running along the diagonal which connected the center of the city to locations off the master plan board (possibly Abu Dhabi on one side and the airport on the other)

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 Thanks idontspam

It reminds us of Hilary Clinton advising Indian education Industry to go online in her current visit to India.

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Trying to answer your questions.

Sustainable development means that we meet today's needs and wants but not at cost of future generations' ability to meet their needs and wants.  This is now the most widely accepted definition of sustainability.

Sustainability and development can coexist.  It means we redefine what development means.  Till now development has meant more consumerism (read today's TOI for an absolutely ghastly piece) and more cars and more consumption by the present generation at the expense of the future.  We are leaving them with a messy planet and huge debts.   I don't know what those goals could look like.  But I had somewhere posted a note on Cuba.  Please look that up. 

On the rest, I don;t think anyone has said that importing technology is bad (we should all go in bullock carts then) or that nations should be placed above individuals.  Where did you gather these

As a reposte to J Krishnamurti (for whom I have the greatest respect) the contrary is also true - in the solution lies a new problem.

Srivathsa

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 Hi,

Have you seen the exponential function Video series refered by IDS above? Can have a second look if already seen.

PSA

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Yes sir,

Have seen it and commented it on it at tweetantor.  It should be mandatory viewing for all our policy makers. 

Srivathsa

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We at IAAD have something called ECPA - Efficiency Cum Performance Audit.  If you read it word by word you will understand what it means. 

When the subject involved is population and if we apply the ECPA methodology to assess its relation with development,  we will be touching a very sensitive issue since its root can be traced to human evolution, its obligations to the world at large.  

However, let me try.  Audit has its own parameters, yardsticks and relies upon solid state documentation.  ECPA requires understanding A to Z of a subject matter that needs a probe, including views of international  communities/ audit institutions for their take depending upon geographical, sociological and other societal parameters.

-Vasanth Mysoremath

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