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Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation(MOSPI) has released a report titled “Elderly in India 2021”.
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The general population has grown by 12.4% during 2011-2021 in comparison to around 18% in the earlier decade.
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On the other hand, the elderly population has grown by 36% in2011-2021.
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A high growth rate in the elderly population compared to the general population was also observed earlier in the two decades between 1961 and 1981.
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Reasons: The growth in the elderly population has been attributed to the longevity of life achieved because of economic well-being, better healthcare and medical facilities and reduction in fertility rates.
Old-Age Dependency Ratio:
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The old-age dependency ratio provides a clearer picture of the number of persons aged 60-plus per 100 persons in the age group of 15-59 years.
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According to the report, an increasing trend has been observed in the old-age dependency ratio. It has risen from 10.9% in 1961 to 14.2% in 2011 and is further projected to increase to 15.7% and 20.1% in 2021 and 2031 respectively.
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The projected dependency ratio for females and males is 14.8% and 16.7% respectively in 2021.