With the release of a draft population policy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has surprised the country.
Naidu announced a package of incentives for couples who have a third child or more. These incentives include a Rs 25,000 cash benefit during delivery, a monthly benefit of Rs 1,000 for the first five years, free education in government schools until the age of 18, comprehensive household health insurance, IVF support through specialised government clinics, 12 months of maternity leave for the mother, and two months of leave for the father. Government employees with three or more children will also get 15 days of wellness leave before retirement and a Rs 50,000 wellness fund.
The draft policy also discusses women's empowerment through improved care throughout the birthing cycle, participation in the workforce, and leveraging the geriatric population as a source of economic power through a Silver Skill Registry, which provides them with upskilling and work opportunities. To achieve these objectives, Chandrababu Naidu has announced a slew of welfare measures. Despite the announcement of a full-fledged policy, the government’s emphasis on a third child has grabbed the attention of the media and the public.
The question is why a state in the most populous country in the world wants more children instead of fewer. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has explained his rationale several times. It sums up to the following: the state’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has come down to 1.5; it should be maintained at 2.1 to ensure demographic balance. Its median age is 32.5 years against India’s 28.4. The population above 60 is currently 10 per cent and is projected to reach 23 per cent by 2047. As the economy grows and birth rates decline, it would be difficult to address workforce shortages and long-term economic challenges.
Chandrababu Naidu said at an event in 2025 that India is the only country that is adding to its population and that it was a boon. He said he supports the RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s view that every Indian family should have three children. Chandrababu was sharing the dais with him during the speech. The AP Chief Minister has several times emphasised that it would not be possible to realise India’s demographic dividend without maintaining birth rates. The government has given one month for discussion and consultations on the policy.
The opposition YSR Congress Party has opposed the new population policy, questioning how the state could deviate from the Centre’s two-child norm and the possibility of quality employment opportunities for all. On social media, some people pointed out that both Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh, his son and the state’s IT minister, have a single child each. Both leaders may attribute their policy to the changing demographic reality. However, Chandrababu Naidu may have to come up with a clear financial, demographic, and sociological rationale to substantiate his idea.
