India population 1.46 billion, but fertility rate down: UN report

India’s population is projected to reach 1.46 billion by 2025, according to a UN report, which also reveals a declining total fertility rate (TFR) now at 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1. While the fertility rate has decreased significantly since 1970, disparities across states persist, with high rates in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh due to limited access to healthcare and education, contrasted by low rates in Delhi and Kerala where educated women delay childbirth. The report emphasizes the need for addressing unmet reproductive goals and barriers to reproductive agency, rather than fearing population decline.

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