Impact of Population Growth on Environmental Degradation: Case of India

India has resorted to planned economic development since independence. For attaining rapid economic progress and for improving the life of its people, India has given due stress on development of its agrarian and industrial sectors through its Five Year Plans. India's First Five Year Plan aimed at economic stabilization and for attaining self sufficiency in the agrarian sector. The Second Five Year Plan initiated structural transformation with an emphasis on heavy industrialization. The first two plans laid the foundation for development planning in India. Other plans were devised so as to develop agriculture, industry, service sectors. Overcome the issues of poverty and, unemployment and to attain inclusive growth. Environmental issues were completely overlooked during the first two decades of economic development. In early 1970s the Government realized the need for economic protection as an integral part of economic policy. The economic development of India particularly in the post globalization period has been instrumental in environmental degradation. The increasing industrialization, urbanization, intensive agriculture, transportation advancement, consumerism and unplanned development are the factors which threaten and cause adverse impact on the environment of the country. Compared to developed nations, India is much more vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to their low capacity to adapt and their disproportionate dependency on natural resources for welfare.