Gujarat's Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj offers Rs 50,000 FD to parents for having a third child amid population concerns

Seeking to address what it describes as a declining population within the community, the Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj (KKPS) has announced a scheme offering Rs 50,000 as fixed deposit to parents from the community who have a third child.

Scheme discussed at South Gujarat meeting

The initiative was discussed at a recent South Gujarat zonal meeting, where community leaders expressed concern over young couples opting for a single child or choosing not to have children. Under the scheme, parents of a third child will also be felicitated at a public function.

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Community flags population imbalance

Community leaders said the initiative is aimed at addressing what they perceive as a population imbalance in terms of caste, religion and age, besides encouraging younger members to have larger families.

“The idea was discussed after we noticed that youth from the community are not having children or have only one child. Through the FD, we are encouraging them to have more children,” said Zaverilal Ramani, vice-president of the South Gujarat zone of KKPS.

South Gujarat KKPS population around 17,000

According to community leaders, the KKPS population in South Gujarat is around 17,000 and has been declining. They said concerns over the community’s age profile and declining numbers prompted the initiative.

“Not only will the couple get the money, but they will also be felicitated at a public event,” Ramani said.

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KKPS already runs welfare schemes

Ramesh Parasiya, vice-president of Akhil Bhartiya KKPS, said the community already has several welfare schemes aimed at providing financial support to members at different stages of life. These include ‘Dikri Janma Vadhamna’, under which families are encouraged and supported following the birth of a girl child, as well as assistance for families with no earning members.

“The primary idea is to address the declining population. We already have support systems for our community members, and through this new scheme we want to encourage our youth to plan for more children,” Parasiya said.

Parsi community has similar third-child scheme

A similar population-support initiative is run by the Parsi community, which provides financial assistance to married couples opting for a third child. According to Dr Homi Doodhwala, president of the Surat Parsi Panchayat, around 39 couples across the country are currently benefiting from the scheme, which provides Rs 5,000 a month until the child turns 25.