2.03 percent population growth rate a challenge to economy: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said the country's highest population growth rate of 2.03 percent in the region is a serious challenge to the country's economic growth. Speaking at the World Population Day here on Monday, Gilani said the country does not have sufficient resources for 175 million people and underlined the need for planning to use current resources efficiently to cater to the needs of 60 million youth.
Gilani said the he would take the debate to the parliament to discuss and decide about the vision for the future of the country's population. The prime minister said that Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with highest growth rate of 2.03 percent among the Saarc countries. The population is expected to reach 210.13 million by 2020, which will double in the next 34 years. The current rate of population growth leaves insufficient margin out of the national income growth to maintain the consumption level, increase saving and attract investment, necessary to sustain increase in output.
He said the government would like to declare it mandatory, whether in the public or private sector, that birth spacing services become available throughout the country through all levels of health facilities free of cost or on nominal charges. Only then we will be able to increase access to birth spacing services. This has to be seen as a contribution towards the most basic human rights and a public service and responsibility as well, he added.
Gilani said private and public sector has to work for creating employment opportunities for the youth and promised to conduct the sixth Population Census to determine the exact number of population. The prime minister said after the 18th Amendment, the population welfare programme has been devolved to the provinces but the functions of the ministry of population welfare have been given to the Planning Commission.
Gilani said there are three critical challenges; first, at this crucial juncture of demographic transition it is very important to plan and balance population growth with our country's resources equitably and prudently.
Secondly, he said that there is an urgency of ensuring that population of the country rises to its full potential in terms of their contribution to the society. Our population mainly consists of young persons, a vibrant dynamic age when they are eager to acquire skills, enter adulthood, obtain employment, form families and contribute to society.
Thirdly, he said that the country is going through a transition as a result of the 18th Amendment where the transfer of resources is taking place between centre and the provinces and responsibilities for education, health, and employment are being shifted to where it matters the most. "Let us pledge to turn these three particular unique situations into opportunities for a turnaround by investing wisely even within our scarce resources," Gilani added.
Speaking on the occasion, the deputy chairman of Planning Commission, Nadeem ul Haq said eight percent of our population is young and investment in education sector could be very helpful in harnessing their true potential for the socio-economic progress of the country.
He said around 68 percent of Pakistan's population is regarded as youth (under 30 years) and many of them are now coming into the labour force, increasing the size of the workforce by over 3 percent annually. He said to employ this youth, the country's economy is required to grow at more than 7 percent consistently for next 20 years.