India is suggesting a two-child limit policy to get control of its growing population. And couples who volunteer to sterilize themselves will reportedly get cash benefits.
As of 2019, there are 1.6 billion people in India, and the numbers continue to grow. Because of this, the two most populous states in India – Uttar Pradesh and Assam – are proposing a two-child limit, according to Yahoo! News.
China previously implemented a policy similar to the proposal, including fines for any couple who breaks its two-child limit. While the states have yet to mention fines, reports show India is on the brink of surpassing China as the most populous place globally. According to a 2019 report by UNICEF, there’s an estimated 25 million children born every year in India.
On top of the two-child limit, Uttar Pradesh is offered financial benefits for any couple who is willing to sterilize themselves. Yahoo! News reports a family could receive benefits like tax rebates, subsidies for home purchases, or they could get money back on their power and utility and power bills.
Suppose the policy is put in place and a couple in Uttar Pradesh breaks the two-child rule. In that case, they will be blocked from receiving any available jobs in the local government, government subsidies, and the ability to run for local elections, Times of India reports. “Increasing population is the root of major problems including inequality prevailing in the society. Population control is the primary condition for the establishment of an advanced society,” wrote Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
