N Chandrababu Naidu, MK Stalin
The chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, two large southern Indian states, have advised people to have more children within two days. Chandrababu Naidu has called for at least two or more children, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin suggested a maximum of 16 children.
It is worth noting that the chief minister of north India did not make such a call. So the question is, why did the chief minister of south India say this? Anything else? The reasons why South India’s chief minister is worried are as follows –
First – In fact, NFHS-5 data also confirms that fertility rates in all southern states are well below the national average. On the one hand, according to “Lancet” research, India’s average fertility rate in 2021 is 1.9.
This itself is below the fertility (replacement level) rate of 2.1 considered optimal for the world’s population. If we look at the southern states of India, the situation seems quite alarming.
Among the southern states, Andhra Pradesh’s fertility rate remains well below the national average at 1.70, Karnataka at 1.70, Kerala at 1.80, and Tamil Nadu at 1.80, according to NFHS-5 data The state is 1.80 and Telangana is 1.82.
That said, one aspect of these statements is that they are all aimed at addressing declining fertility rates and aging populations in the southern states of India.
second –Experts say the workforce is likely to shrink due to falling fertility rates. Furthermore, this may also affect the social structure. States are required to arrange medical facilities for senior citizens.
By 2050, there may be more people over 60 in the population than young people. As in Japan, China and many South Asian countries, this concern has now begun to spread in the southern states of India.
third – This is not the first time that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said such words. The record of Chandrababu making statements about population growth is quite old.
In 2015, Naidu said that first of all, young people do not get married early and even if they get married, they do not have children. In 2016, he similarly attacked the wealthy, saying they were content with being childless or with just one child.
One dilemma for Naidu or the southern chief ministers is that population decline could undermine their political power. They also ensured that in the next delimitation and allocation of parliamentary seats, they would not get fewer seats than the northern states on a population basis.
fourth – There’s also the question of whether state governments should have a role in how many children a person should have. The answer is – absolutely not. The role of the state government should be to ensure the health of pregnant women and their children. Additionally, governments should provide contraceptive options.
The Indian government’s National Population Policy hopes that the population will remain stable until 2045. This allows the focus to be on sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental protection. In this case, the state government should issue a statement to further refine the Centre’s policy.
Enter – Ashish Sharma, News 9
