UP CM to unveil policy on population control for 2021-30 on World Population Day
To arrest the growing population challenge in Uttar Pradesh which has 20.42 crore population as per 2021 survey, the state is all set to announce a new policy with the aim of population control. Meanwhile, UP's Law Commission is also framing a draft rule to help the populous state and will submit the same within two months.
FollowWith UP Bihar facing the biggest challenge of uncontrolled population growth, the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adithyanath will unveil a draft of UP's population (Control, stabilization, and Welfare) Act, 2021 to mark 'World Population Day'.
As per reports, the UP is also planning Assam's new draft model of 'two-child policy' and once the law comes into force, families can avail state government benefits only if they follow these rules.
The UP's Law Commission has sought comments from the public on the proposed policy within 10 day which ends on July 19. And once the public opinion is gathered in this connection, the commission will hand it (UP Population Bill) over to the State Government to take it further.
The CM has appealed to the public to cooperate for the overall development of the state and sought a community-centric approach to address this population issue. "Poverty and illiteracy are major factors for population expansion. There is also a lack of awareness about the population in certain communities and we therefore need community-centric awareness efforts,” CM Adithyanath was quoted as saying in a statement.
As per the report, the state's fertility rate stands at 2.7% whereas it should be at 2.1%.
To achieve its goals, access to contraceptive measures will be made available. Safe abortion will has also been proposed.
Benefits under the Bill
According to reports, the UP’s Draft Population Bill proposes benefits like additional increments in service, rebate on charges of power bills, house tax, etc, soft loans towards the house purchase, 12 months maternity as well paternity leave with full take-home salary benefit to government employees, only if they follow the 'two-child policy'
If a family of government servants just opts for one child, apart from other benefits, the government will make arrangements for free education to graduation level and also give free health coverage until the child turns 20 years.
And for the population other than government servants, rebates on utilities, help from the government in the form of easy loans during house construction, and others are promised.
With a special focus on Below Poverty Line families, mothers giving birth to baby girls and considering family planning, will get a one-time settlement of one lakh rupees similarly, if the boy is born and the family is considered to limit to just one child, Rs 80,000 will be deposited into the beneficiaries bank account.
