UP CM Adityanath releases Population Policy 2021-30

On World Population Day, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced their new population policy for 2021-2030. The new policy showed that the government will give incentives to those who help in population control.

The population policy was unfolded ahead of the elections in UP next year. The issue has emerged as one of the main focus areas in the state ahead of assembly polls. The opposition party has slammed the BJP government in the state, saying it wants to ‘murder the democracy’ in Uttar Pradesh.

The bill has already uploaded on the state government website and suggestions invited till July 19. The draft said,

• The population policy announced today by the chief minister will focus on efforts to increase the accessibility of contraceptive measures issued under the Family Planning Programme and provide a proper system for safe abortion.
• Another focus area of the new population policy is to reduce the newborns’ and maternal mortality rate.
• Care of the elderly, and better management of education, health, and nutrition of adolescents between 11 to 19 years has also been ensured in the policy, according to the state government.
• The Uttar Pradesh government will give promotions, increments, concessions in housing schemes and others perks to employees who adhere to population control norms, and have two or fewer children.
• “Public servants who adopt the two-child norm will get two additional increments during the entire service, maternity or as the case may be, paternity leave of 12 months, with full salary and allowances and three percent increase in the employer’s contribution fund under the National Pension Scheme,” according to UP government’s draft population control bill.
• Those who are not government employees and still contribute towards keeping the population in check will get benefits like rebates in taxes on water, housing, home loans etc.
• If the parent of a child opts for vasectomy, he/she will be eligible for free medical facilities till the age of 20.
• The Uttar Pradesh government plans to set up a state population fund to implement the measures. The draft bill also asks the state government to introduce population control as a compulsory subject in all secondary schools.
• It cites strain on resources due to the growing population as the need to have a population control policy in place. “It is necessary and urgent that the provision of basic necessities of human life including affordable food, safe drinking water, decent housing, access to quality education, economic/livelihood opportunities, power/electricity for domestic consumption, and a secure living is accessible to all citizens,” the draft bill reads.
• The provision of this legislation shall apply to a married couple where the boy is not less than 21 years of age and the girl is not less than 18. The UP law commission, which has prepared the draft bill, said that the policy will be voluntary – it will not be enforced upon anyone.