Naidu advocates population growth, demands sops for larger families

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday emphasised the need for a population increase to maintain India's demographic dividend over other countries.

While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin raised concerns about the impact of delimitation on southern states, Naidu said he would address the issue when the time comes. "Delimitation is a continuous process, happening once in 25 years. We cannot make assumptions; we will talk about it when the time comes," he told media in Delhi.

Naidu also highlighted the fertility and aging population issues faced by southern states, pointing out that many countries are dealing with an aging population, with southern states at a disadvantage. He noted that only Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in North India are at an advantage in terms of population growth.


"We request the government of India to promote population growth and not penalize states with aging populations. Incentives should be provided for larger families," Naidu said. He referenced a state government scheme offering an additional Rs 15,000 annually for families with three children, calling it a form of "demographic management." "The sooner we start addressing this, the better," he added.

Naidu also distanced himself from a confrontation with Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao over making Telugu compulsory, stating that language is just a means of communication. "The previous government in Andhra Pradesh promoted English, claiming it was the key to livelihood. We believe language is a tool for communication; knowledge is what truly empowers," he said. He also mentioned plans to promote multiple languages in universities to provide students with more opportunities.