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India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
The average number of children expected to be born per woman during her reproductive year had fallen by 19% over the past decade. Among gibber States, the percentage declined in TFR during this period the last decade varied from as high as 28% in Punjab to 5.6 in Kerala. Maharashtra saw the second highest dip in TFR between 2000-2010 at 26.9%, followed by Haryana and Andhra Pradesh (25%), Uttar Pradesh (23%), Rajasthan (22%), Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal (21%). The latest Sample Registration System 2010 data finalized by the Registrar General of India and sent to the Union Health Ministry on Saturday says India's TFR, which had remained stagnant in 2008 and 2009 at 2.6, finally has dropped by 0.1 points in 2010. India's TFR now stands at 2.5 as against a TFR of 3.2 in 2000. Éducation has been found to play a major role in determining TFR.
According to the National Population Policy 2000, India should have reached her placement level fertility rate of 201 by 2010, and ought to attain population stabilization at 145 crore by 2045. Population stabilization is when the size of the population remains unchanged. It is also called the stage of zero population growth. However, India now expects to reach the population stabilization TFR of 2.1 at 165 crore by 2060. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad recently said "We have seen a steady decline in TFR that has come down by 42% from the mid-1960s. We may see a drop of 0.1 point in the TFR, which is currently at 2.6."
- What is meant by zero population growth?
- What is meant by fertility rate? Name the two states which saw the highest percentage decline in TFR during 2000-2010.