New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced a Rs 30,000 reward for the birth of a third child and Rs 40,000 for the fourth child as part of efforts to address the state’s declining population over the years.
Naidu addressed a public meeting in Narsannapeta in Srikakulam, announced the move, and said that further details will be announced within a month of this decision.
“I have made a new decision. We will provide Rs 30,000 immediately after the birth of a third child and Rs 40,000 for a fourth child. Isn’t this the right decision?” Naidu said on the SwarnaAndhra–SwachAndhra cleanliness programme.
Naidu urged the public to work together and come together for society to increase the birth rate. Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh CM proposed a Rs 25,000 incentive for the birth of a second child in the state.
Rs 25,000 for second child, Rs 30,000 for third and Rs 40,000 for fourth
On March 5, the state government announced it would give a Rs 25,000 reward to couples for the birth of a second child in the family. The Health Minister, Satya Kumar Yadav, was quoted on PTI as saying that the government is planning to extend the incentives for having a third child or beyond to the families.
Naidu said that the families are opting to have only one child as their incomes rise, while some choose to have a second child if the firstborn is not a boy.
The CM is stressed about the state’s population growth rate, as it has been declining in recent years, and the government has to maintain the replacement-level total fertility rate of 2.1.
Naidu pointed out that the population remains stable when the average fertility rate is 2.1 children per woman. He also highlighted the point that the declining population and ageing society affect the economy of the state or the country.