Meaning of sustainable development: The balanced, prudent, thrifty, recycling – abled, adaptable and destructionless consumption of environmental resources, drives sustainable development. Through sustainable development and the work done for continuous development, future and present needs of man can be fulfilled. In sustainable development, stress is given on thrift and recycling and conservation.

Economic development of man has abnormally exploited the resources and this is causing imbalance and great crises of abiotic and biotic inter – relations in environment. Environmental imbalance is a result of pollution, and along with excessive exploitation of resources, it has become difficult to maintain continuous pace of development.

Thus, in future, in place of temporary development it is necessary to adopt sustainable development so that environmental defects can be avoided. Due to the concept of continuous development constant development can be said to be the sustainable development.

Population Growth and Sustainable Development: Development is directly associated with per capita income, industrial and agricultural development, advanced transportation, information technology, pure air, fresh drinking water, comfortable residence, necessary clothing, healthy food, modern medical facilities and the availability of amusement facilities.

In the human development index of the world, Norway (0.944), Australia (0.935) and Switzerland are on first, second and third place respectively, while India with 0.609 human development index is on the 130th place. Thus, the countries having high human development index have prudently exploited the natural and human resources and increasing national income has made the life of citizens smooth and prosperous.

To maintain harmony of population growth with economic development, it is necessary that production should be done on local level by the industrial units based on local raw material so that with the use of raw material on local level, opportunity of employment would be there for local people, production cost would decrease and society and nation would move towards self dependence.

In the developing countries of the world, due to high population and lack of export business, low living standard is seen and a large part of population is found in a state of poverty and starvation. In these countries, there is shortage of capital and advanced technology for establishment of big industries. Thus, in these countries, medium – sized industries are preferred.

The country like India, with surplus manpower, labour – based industry would be more useful. On the other hand, in developed countries due to less population and growing exports business, progress and prosperity is seen and therefore high standard of living is found.