One Billion people. India's population hit 1 billion in May 2000, increasing the urgency for the country to moderate its population growth.

According to experts, the population boom is partly responsible for today's water shortages, famine, deforestation, extinction of wildlife as well as social problems like crime, unemployment and poor health.

More than 300 million Indians earn less than US$1 everyday and about 130 million people are jobless. India also has one of the highest maternal mortality rates with 410 deaths for every 100,000 live births, according to the United Nations.

To improve the quality of life, reducing fertility is of vital importance. With 190 million people aged between 15 and 19, the baby boom is expected to continue unless birth control measures are effectively implemented.

According to some experts, the success of any family planning programme depends on women and their status. Many women do not have permission to decide whether to have children. Ideally, there should be gender equality for males and females. Women have to be educated so that they can decide on the number of children they want.

The birth rate in India has declined from 40 per 1000 in the 1960s to 28 in 1995-6. But more has to be done.

At current growth rates, the population will rise to two billion in the second half of the next century.