Demographics Go ‘South’: Over 20 Per Cent Of South India’s Population Might Turn Grey By 2050, Says Study

According to a research report released by State Bank of India (SBI), one in every five citizens of the four southern states - Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, will turn elderly by 2050.

“Similarly states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha will see a large percentage of population turning old. With the increase in the elder population in Southern States, the asymmetric income distribution gap will widen further,” the report stated.

SBI estimates that India’s total population will reach 178 crore by 2050 out of which 27 crore will be of age 65 and above.

The share of senior citizens in the population mix is expected to increase from 5.5 per cent in 2011 to 15.2 per cent in 2050. However, this statistic is significantly lower than the corresponding proportion of the elderly population in China (32.6 per cent) and the US (23.2 per cent).

Changing migration dynamics

The report notes that states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Bihar and Haryana will continue to have a significantly young population even in 2050. This demography dynamic between North and South India might engineer a migration of labour force to states that are ageing.

“In particular, in coming decades, we can expect huge migration from ‘Young North-India’ to ‘Elder South-India’ resulting in imminent pressure on Southern states in terms of infrastructure (both social and physical),” the report adds.

Another report emphasised that while the overall population of India is expected to grow by 56 per cent between 2000-2050, the sixty-plus population will increase by 326 per cent and 700 per cent in the eighty-plus age group.

Also Read: Rates, Policy Props Moving In Favour Of Senior Citizens In A Young Indian Demographic