Which states in India have reached or are very near the ‘replacement levels’ of population growth? Which ones still have very high rates of population growth? In your opinion, what could be some of the reasons for these regional differences?

Solution: The rate of growth required for new generations to replace the older ones that are dying out is referred to as the replacement level.

The term “replacement level” refers to having two children to complete the replacement cycle. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab are among the states with replacement-level population increase.

Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and West Bengal are all close to reaching replacement levels of population growth.

States with rapid population increase include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Regional variances can be attributed to a variety of factors, including: 

• differences in literacy percentages between states; 
• social situations in different regions. In Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East, there is terrorism, war-like conditions, and insurgency.
• The socioeconomic situation varies per state.

i)The number of people living in poverty is largest in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha.

(ii) Socio-cultural formation: religious beliefs or the assumption that having more children equals having more hands to earn.