News Desk
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh will soon have a population policy and sources say it will restrict transfer of benefits to those having more than two children.
The health minister JP Singh in a function recently mentioned that the state is observing policies prevailing in other states across India and soon a draft will be prepared for Uttar Pradesh too. The minister though did not reveal what all provisions will be included.
An expert said that states in South India have been able to control population growth. UP’s total fertility rate is around 3. Sources said that the government may decide upon reducing government benefits for people having more than two or three children in the state. This will help motivate people to keep small family.
Officials said that states such as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are taking action on population control and have decided to restrict benefits to people with over two children. Also they are not allowed to contest Panchayat elections.
It will be a difficult decision to take and implement but there are states who do not reimburse school fee for more than two children of their employees.
The state has already run programme such as distribution of condoms via various mediums including vending machines, dissemination of information upon family planning methods to newly-wed in rural areas and also education programmes in urban areas but with a policy in place it will be a different thing. It might be opposed too by a large section.