Andhra Pradesh plans incentives to boost population growth

Amaravati, July 11 (IANS) Asserting that population is not a burden but an asset, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced that the state government will soon introduce a robust policy on population growth, offering incentives to those with more children.

He called for a rise in the fertility rate in the state to avoid a human resource crisis in the future.

Addressing the Amaravati Summit on World Population Day, he said that population is the nation's strongest economic asset.

He noted that joint families were once common but are now disappearing. “Earlier, we provided 5 kg rice per person in a household. A family of five received 25 kg. We didn’t give rice beyond that. But now, we’re thinking of giving more than 50 kg if there are 10 members in a family,” he said.

Chandrababu Naidu also mentioned that there’s growing concern about the declining population in South India. “While Parliament seats may increase in the future, southern states could see reduced representation,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that while in the past the state government had launched a movement for population control in united Andhra Pradesh, now the need of the hour is population management.

He expressed concern that while the global population is increasing, birth rates are declining, and the youth population is shrinking and the elderly population is increasing. He noted that wherever ageing becomes an issue, growth stagnates, and even in developed countries, fertility rates are falling.

“When the rate falls below 2.1, the population starts declining. In India, Bihar is at 3.0, Meghalaya 2.9, Uttar Pradesh 2.4, Jharkhand 2.3, Manipur 2.2, Tamil Nadu 1.8, Telangana 1.8, Kerala 1.8, Karnataka 1.7, and Andhra Pradesh 1.7. To maintain population equilibrium, a 2.1 rate is essential,” the CM explained.

Naidu also expressed concern that declining population growth would hamper economic growth. He revealed that a poll conducted at the summit showed 67.41 per cent preferred two children, 12.34 per cent preferred only one, and 19.88 per cent preferred three children. He said young people today are unwilling to have children, and many couples are opting not to have any. “The rising cost of living is discouraging people from having children,” he observed.

The Chief Minister emphasised that India’s ability to compete with developed nations is because of its population. “Once, population was seen as a major problem. Before 2004, as CM, I incentivised family planning. We even brought a law disqualifying those with more than two children from contesting local body elections. But today, there’s a need to amend the law to allow those with more than two children to contest. A nation is not just about its land, regions, towns, or borders; it is about its people,” the CM said.

He highlighted how some countries are offering incentives to encourage childbirth. He read out examples from various nations.

--IANS

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