Andhra plans third-child sops to tackle population imbalance

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday proposed a population policy under which parents would receive an incentive of Rs 25,000 for a third child.

The government is also considering extending parental leave to 12 months for mothers and two months for fathers. The state plans to open fertility centres in all government hospitals and ensure better care for mothers during pregnancy.

Naidu said the state's fertility rate has declined to 1.5 from 3.0 in 1993. According to 2023 figures, about 6.7 lakh births are recorded annually in the state. He cited examples of countries such as Japan, Italy and South Korea, saying Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a similar declining trend. He warned that by 2047 nearly 23% of the state's population will be elderly.


Naidu has been advocating a shift from family planning to encouraging higher birth rates since assuming office in 2024. Last year in Delhi, he said states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh could gain a demographic advantage over southern states.