In 1947 when India got freedom from the alien British rulers the population of the country was much less than 30 crores and the agricultural production of the grains was only 3 crore metric tones, quite insufficient to feed the entire population. The agriculture was dependent on monsoon rains. Irrigation and supply of manure was only a dream. At present the grain production has gone up to 21 crores metric tones, it is seven times higher than what we were producing in 1947. In those days people were ill-fed and without proper medical care. The average life span was only 30 years. The rate of mortality amongst children and mothers were very high due to many incurable fatal diseases in absence of the modern medicines especially the antibiotics. The unbelievable advancement in the medical sciences have made it possible to save the lives of the millions of the countrymen. Due to sheer inventions of the antibiotics, man has been able to conquer many formidable diseases like TB, malaria, typhoid, plague and smallpox etc. Now, the average age of Indians is 67 years it is only due to the advancement in medical science. In 1947, even needles, bicycles and sewing machines were imported from the Great Britain and Germany. Unfortunately, all the benefits of the progress and wealth earned up till now has not percolated to the strata of downtrodden the grassroot level. A few people have become richer and richer. The fertile land of the country is limited, despite of all the help of modern scientific knowledge and equipment. The yield of the fields could be increased up to a certain level only. Law of Recardo of limiting factor applies here too. Agricultural production follows the arithmetic progression whereas the population of the country grows in geometric progression. Today India's population is much more than 110 crores. The day-to-day indiscriminately increasing population is eating away the fruits of the agricultural and economic developments. The control of the population is a burning national problem. If the essential steps to curb the unprecedented growth of population is not taken seriously, it will jeoparadize our national goal - the vision 2020. Various family planning programmes which were organized by the health department and the social organizations in the past before the emergency was declared. It is an irony that the overall scenario has changed remarkably. The family planning programme is being ignored. At present no leader can dare to advocate FP schemes because they are scared of losing their political representation from their constituencies. RK Gupta