20.8 ndian onom
about qualitative improvement in million. At present, a little more than one
governance at decentralised level. out of every six persons in the world is an
(b) Transform them into vibrant Indian.
institutions and enable them to perform 2. As per Sample Registration System-2013
their envisaged role in participatory (SRS) data—
planning, implementation, execution, (a) There has been a gradual decline in
monitoring, and supervision and also the share of population in the age
carry out social audit of all panchayat/ group 0-14 from 41.2 to 38.1 per
municipality-centric programmes. cent during 1971 to 1981 and from
Government has given high priority to 36.3 to 28.4 per cent during 1991 to
‘inclusion’ factor—through the ideas of “inclusive 2013.
growth” (as outlined by the 11th Plan, 2007-12) (b) On the other hand, the proportion of
and the “third generation of economic reforms” economically active population (15-
(launched 2002, on the margins of the 10th 59 years) or, India’s ‘demographic
Plan, 2002-07)—it is officially decided to use the dividend’, has increased from 53.4 to
PRIs as the main tool. In this way, it is essential 56.3 per cent during 1971 to 1981
for the governments (centre and states, both) to and from 57.7 to 63.3 per cent during
use the untapped potential of the PRIs as the 1991 to 2013.
vehicle of decentralising the fruits of growth and (c) On account of better education,
development to the ‘grass-root’ level. For this the health facilities, and increase in life
PRIs need strengthening—newly created ‘think expectancy, the per centage of elderly
tank’, the NITI can play as an instrumental (60+) has gone up from 5.3 to 5.7
role in it (through its platform, the ‘Governing per cent and 6.0 to 8.3 per cent
Council’)—in reaching a broad consensus among respectively in the same two periods.
the governments regarding it. (d) The growth rate of the labour force
will continue to be higher than that
deMoGrAPHIcs of the population until 2021.
The population of India has gone for some major 3. According to an Indian Labour Report
changes in the recent decades. These changes (Time Lease, 2007)—
have not only restructured the contours of Indian (a) 300 million youth will enter the
demographics but have brought new openings labour force by 2025, and 25 per cent
and challenges regarding it: of the world’s workers in the next
1. As per provisional results of Census three years will be Indians.
2011, the following facts regarding the (b) Population projections indicate that
Indian population dynamics are of high in 2020 the average age of India’s
importance. The 2001–11 is the first population will be the lowest in the
decade in independent India wherein, world—around 29 years compared
the population momentum coupled with to 37 years in China and the United
declining fertility has dampened the pace States of America, 45 years in West
of net additions to population. Thus, Europe, and 48 years in Japan.
the net addition in this decade is less (c) Consequently, while the global
than that of the pervious decade by 0.86 economy is expected to witness a