Explained: UP’s policy on stabilising population rise

Lucknow, July 12: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday unveiled a policy aimed at stabilising the population in Uttar Pradesh and reducing maternal and infant deaths in a time-bound manner as he termed rising population a "hurdle in development".

The Uttar Pradesh Population Policy 2021-2030, unveiled on the occasion of World Population Day, also aims at bringing down the gross fertility rate among women to 2.1 by 2026 and to 1.9 by 2030.

A few days ago, a draft bill on population control was put up on the website of the Uttar Pradesh law commission inviting suggestions from the public till July 19. It says people having more than two children in Uttar Pradesh will be debarred from contesting local bodies polls, applying for government jobs or receiving any kind of subsidy.

It also seeks to prohibit promotions in government jobs for such people, while offering incentives to those limiting their children to two.

Unveiling the population policy on Sunday, Adityanath said, "Across the world, concerns have been raised from time to time about increasing population being a hurdle in development. Discussions on it have been going on for the four decades."

"The countries and states which have made efforts in this direction have seen positive results. However, more efforts are needed," he said, adding the Uttar Pradesh government was implementing this policy keeping in mind all sections of the society.

Besides seeking to achieve population stabilisation and reduce preventable maternal and infant deaths, the UP Population Policy also aims at preventing the death of children under the age of 5 years and improving their nutritional condition.

Addressing a function at his official residence here, the chief minister said efforts to control population is linked to comprehensive awareness in the society.

"We should not forget that the increase in population contributes to that poverty in the society. Hence, until all sections of society are made comprehensively aware, there will be a delay in fulfilling various goals. Every section of the society has to be associated with the awareness campaign," Adityanath said.

If there is no gap between the birth of two children, it affects their nourishment, he said, adding the efforts made in the past four to five years have yielded good results, but more efforts are needed.

The health of a mother and her child have to be linked with this, the CM said.

Hitting out at the BJP government over its draft population control bill, Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq on Sunday asked where will India get manpower in case of war if people are not allowed to procreate.

The parliamentarian from Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal said it is Allah who decides the number of lives on earth and no amount of checks can control that.

Taking a jibe at the BJP government, Barq said, "As far as Yogi (Adityanath), PM (Narendra) Modi and (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat are concerned, do not have children. Now, if entire India is not allowed to procreate and a situation arises that we have to face another country, from where we get men? This (draft population control bill) will prove to be a loss-making deal.

(PTI)