BREAKING NOW: Policy Shift From Population Control to Population Growth in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has launched a new policy aimed at addressing the state’s declining population. Speaking at a public meeting in Srikakulam district, he announced financial incentives for families having more children. Under the proposed scheme, families will receive ₹30,000 for the third child and ₹40,000 for the fourth child. The government is expected to release detailed guidelines within a month. Naidu stated that children should be seen as a national asset and emphasized the need to increase birth rates due to economic concerns linked to an aging population. The announcement is significant as Naidu was earlier a strong advocate of population control during the 1990s. He acknowledged his shift in stance, citing changing times and demographic challenges. The decision is based on Andhra Pradesh’s declining total fertility rate (TFR), which has dropped to around 1.50—well below the replacement level of 2.1. The policy is also being linked to upcoming Lok Sabha delimitation, where parliamentary seats will be reallocated based on population. States with lower population growth may face reduced representation, adding a political dimension to the demographic concerns.