Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced the financial incentives on Saturday ₹30,000 for families upon the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for the fourth child as part of the Andhra Pradesh government’s drive to address the declining population trend in the state.
Addressing a public meeting at Narasannapeta in Srikakulam district, Naidu said that a decision had already been taken and that further details would be announced within a month.
“I have made a new decision. We will provide ₹30,000 immediately after the birth of the third child and ₹40,000 for the fourth child. Isn’t it the right decision?” Naidu said during the SwarnaAndhra–SwachAndhra cleanliness programme, according to PTI.
Naidu, however, has previously supported population control measures, saying that the current demographic situation requires society to work collectively to increase the birth rate.
Naidu’s latest announcement builds on an earlier draft offer ₹25,000 as an incentive for the birth of a second child. On March 5, he told the Andhra Pradesh legislature that the government was considering such a measure.
Although Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav later mentioned that the government has decided to extend financial incentives to families who have a third child and other children.
Naidu also noted that some couples choose to have only one child because their income has increased, while others choose to have a second child only if their first child is not a boy.
As a result, Naidu warned that the rate of population growth in Andhra Pradesh was slowing and stressed the need to maintain the total fertility rate at the replacement level (TFR) of 2.1.
He said population remains stable only when women have an average of 2.1 children, and argued that declining birth rates and aging populations in many countries have adversely affected their economies. While rejecting the notion that children are a liability, Naidu said they should be considered an asset and claimed to prove it.
Andhra CM introduces new population management policy
On March 7, CM Naidu highlighted South India’s demographic issues and unveiled Andhra Pradesh’s new population management policy aimed at addressing declining birth rates at the Raisina Dialogue in the state capital, according to ANI.
“Some countries are already facing the problem of ageing. India still has the benefit of demographic dividend which will remain till 2047. India’s reproductive fertility rate is 2.1 and currently it is around 2.2. But in South India we are around 1.5 – way below replacement level,” said CM Naidu.
He further said, “For the first time, the state government has introduced a population management policy. If a family has a second child, the state government will give ₹25,000,- on cash on delivery. We will provide for the third child ₹1000 per month for five years for the child’s nutrition and development.
Naidu also highlighted measures to support parents, saying the government plans to provide one year of maternity leave and one to two months of paternity leave to allow fathers to help take care of newborns. He emphasized that raising children is a shared responsibility and both parents should contribute equally.
