geography 12 · Section 7 · Part 2

country. The growth rate of population is, however, still high in the country, and it has been projected by World Development Report that population of India will touch , million by . The analysis done so far shows the average growth rate, but the country also has wide variation (Appendix–iv) in growth rates from one area to another which is discussed below. RRRRReeeeegional V gional V gional V gional V gional Varia aria aria aria ariation in tion in tion in tion in tion in PPPPPopula opula opula opula opulation Gr tion Gr tion Gr tion Gr tion Growth owth owth owth owth The growth rate of population during - in Indian States and Union Territories shows very obvious pattern. The States like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Goa show a low rate of growth not exceeding per cent over the decade. Kerala registered the lowest growth rate ( . ) not only in this group of states but also in the country as a whole. A continuous belt of states from west to east in the north-west, north, and north central parts of the country has relatively high growth rate than the southern states. It is in this belt comprising Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, the growth rate on the average remained - per cent. During - , the growth rates of almost all States and Union Territories have registered a lower figure compared to the previous decade, namely, - . The percentage decadal growth rates of the six most populous States, namely, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Reprint -