Call for action amid demographic shifts

Odisha is experiencing a major demographic shift as the world observes World Population Day on 11 July, 2025. The state, which was formerly renowned for having high rates of fertility and mortality, is currently dealing with new issues brought on by an aging population, a rapidly declining birth rate, and ever widening urban-rural gaps. Fertility is one of the most prominent changes.

- Sameer Kumar Jena

With districts like Jharsuguda reporting a total fertility rate (TFR) as low as 1.3, lower than even Japan, Odisha’s TER has fallen below the replacement level. This decline raises concerns about the declining school-age population, lower enrolment rates, and potential labour shortages, even though it also reflects increased access to and awareness of reproductive health. At the same time, the number of elderly people in Odisha is drastically increasing. By 2036, the 60+ age group is projected to double from 2011 levels. With 43 per cent of the elderly suffering from chronic diseases and 75 per cent of rural elderly women facing d