Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, On the occasion of the World Population Day on Sunday, unveiled its new policy on population control for 2021-30. The aim of the policy is to bring the state’s population growth to 2.1 per cent by 2026 and to 1.9 per cent by 2030. Uttar Pradesh’s current fertility rate is 2.7 per cent.
Speaking at the event, the Uttar Pradesh CM said that increasing population can be a hurdle in the way of development. Every community has been taken care of in Population Policy 2021-2030.
The CM stressed that population control is the primary condition for the establishment of a progressive society. “Increasing population is the root of major problems including inequality prevailing in the society. Population control is the primary condition for the establishment of a progressive society,” he said.
“Across the world, from time to time, concerns have been expressed that increasing population can be a hurdle in development, and for the past four decades discussions on it are going on. Population growth is also related to poverty. Every community has been taken care of in Population Policy 2021-2030,” the CM said.
The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission had on Saturday released the first draft of the bill aimed at population control and has sought public opinion by 19 July. Through the proposed policy, efforts will be made to increase the accessibility of contraceptive measures issued under the family planning programme and provide a proper system for safe abortion. It also aims to promote a two-child policy, violation of which would mean people will be debarred from contesting local body elections, applying for government jobs, or even receiving any government subsidy.
“The State Law Commission has given a proposal for population control and welfare. We’ve proposed that any couple that follows the two-child policy will be given all government benefits. They’ll be able to avail all government welfare schemes,” said UP Law Commission chairman Aditya Nath Mittal.
Meanwhile, the Congress said that the UP government is all about talks and demanded a discussion over the issue in the Assembly. Whether it’s about controlling Covid, crime or population, the UP government doesn’t want to do anything substantial and is only indulging in headline management, a party leader said.
Hitting out at those critical of the Adityanath government’s steps aimed at stabilising the population in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said that the move should not be communalised. “Those who are linking the population control mission to a particular religion, they are trying to impose their distorted mentality and communal thinking. We should welcome the step taken by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This step will prove to be a gift for the society and the generations to come.”
With a population of 21 crore, Uttar Pradesh has been the most populous state in India. The state elections are just a few months away. Recently, Assam too took a similar decision in the state.